Tilak Varma was earlier ruled out of the first three IND vs NZ T20Is.
In what has been the latest development, the Indian Cricket Team have suffered a massive blow. Star batter Tilak Varma has been ruled out of the last two T20Is against New Zealand. However, he is expected to be fit for T20 World Cup 2026, which will begin on February 7.
Tilak Varma was earlier ruled out of the first three T20Is against India and was expected to be back for the last two games. He faced an abdominal injury and then underwent surgery for that, which kept him out of the three T20Is.
Tilak Varma has started training and will be joining the Indian side on February 3 ahead of India’s first warm-up game against South Africa on February 4. The team management would be hoping that he gets fit in time.
BCCI add Shreyas Iyer to the team for the last two IND vs NZ T20I
In place of Tilak Varma, India have added Shreyas Iyer to the team for the last two IND vs NZ T20Is. The batter was added to the team for the first three games and will continue to stay with the team for the last two games as well.
The BCCI released an official statement on the same and stated:
“India batter Tilak Varma has resumed physical training and is making steady progress with his rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. However, he will require additional time to regain full match fitness and will not be available for the final two T20Is of the ongoing IDFC First Bank five-match T20I series.
Tilak will link up with the squad in Mumbai once he has regained full match fitness on 3rd February, ahead of India’s warm-up match for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The Men’s Selection Committee has recommended that Shreyas Iyer will continue as Tilak Varma’s replacement for the remaining matches.”
India’s updated T20I squad for IND vs NZ T20Is
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravi Bishnoi
