India’s T20 World Cup 2026 build-up has suffered a major setback with in-form batter Tilak Varma undergoing emergency surgery in Rajkot after being diagnosed with testicular torsion. The 23-year-old was in the city with the Hyderabad squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) when he reported acute pain on January 8 and was immediately rushed to Gokul Hospital. Scans confirmed the condition and doctors advised urgent surgery, which was carried out successfully later that day.
Tilak Varma ruled out from IND vs NZ T20Is
According to the medical report accessed by Sports Tak, Tilak is now stable and doing well, but the injury has almost certainly ruled him out of the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting January 21. More worryingly for Indian cricket, his availability for the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7, is now under serious doubt.
It is the worst possible time to get injured for Tilak. He has been one of India’s most reliable T20 batters over the past year and was locked in as the team’s designated No.3 for the home World Cup. He had walked into this phase in excellent domestic form as well, scoring 143 runs in two Vijay Hazare Trophy innings for Hyderabad at an average of 71.50 and a strike rate of 87.73, including a commanding century.
His match-winning 69* in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan made him the ‘Iceman’ for India as now everyone knows that Tilak can handle the most pressure situations with ease.
Replacement for Tilak Varma?
India’s senior selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar has been informed of the surgery, with further clarity on recovery timelines expected in the coming days. For now, Tilak faces a race against the clock to regain full fitness before the World Cup, leaving the Indian team management scrambling for contingency plans.
The BCCI is expected to announce his replacement for the New Zealand series soon. With Tilak absent, Ishan Kishan could be promoted to No.3, a role he performed for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2025, while also remaining the reserve wicketkeeper. There is also a possibility of Shubman Gill finding his way back into the T20I setup, despite being dropped recently due to a prolonged lean patch in the format.
However, this finally gives a perfect opportunity for the BCCI to rectify its mistake and bring back Shreyas Iyer in the T20I scheme of things. He was one of the best batters in IPL 2025 and his game against spin is perhaps the best right now in the country. Ajit Agarkar can add him in the New Zealand series and wait on Tilak’s recovery for the T20 World Cup.
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