Tilak Varma to Miss T20 Matches Against New Zealand
Young Indian batter ruled out of opening phase of five-match series following surgery
Mumbai, January 9: India will be without Tilak Varma in the opening phase of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, as the young batter underwent testicular surgery in Rajkot on Wednesday. The BCCI has confirmed that Tilak will miss the first three matches, starting January 21, while his availability for the remaining games will depend on recovery milestones achieved during rehabilitation and skill work.
Tilak had featured for Hyderabad in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Bengal on Tuesday, after which he complained of discomfort. Medical scans led to immediate surgery.
According to the BCCI, Tilak was discharged on Thursday morning, his condition is stable, and he is recovering well. He is scheduled to return to Hyderabad on Friday.
His recovery timeline now raises questions over his availability for India’s opening match of the T20 World Cup against the USA on February 7. India’s remaining group-stage fixtures are against Namibia (February 12), Pakistan (February 15), and the Netherlands (February 18).
Tilak has been a regular feature in India’s T20I setup and featured in the last three series—the Asia Cup in September, the Australia T20Is in October, and the South Africa tour in December. The 21-year-old scored 567 runs in 18 innings in 2024, averaging 47.25 with a strike rate of 129.15.
Earlier this month, he also played two 50-over matches for Hyderabad, scoring a century against Chandigarh and 34 runs against Bengal.
The selection panel has not yet announced a replacement for the New Zealand series, scheduled for January 21, 23, 25, 28, and 31. Teams are free to make changes to their T20 World Cup squads until January 31, 2026.
