India's middle-order batter Tilak Varma underwent a testicular torsion surgery, which has potentially thrown him out of the upcoming five-match T20I series
against New Zealand. The rehabilitation will take at least four weeks of time for Tilak to be ready to hit the field again, which has also put him in doubt ahead of the T20 World Cup, which will start on January 7.
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer has emerged as a possible replacement. Iyer, who recently made a comeback after himself recovering from an injury, may be seen getting a place in India's T20I side to act as a cover for the Hyderabad cricketer. Although not official, the Mumbai batter has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Tilak, which could mark a comeback for him into the T20I side after more than three years. Notably, he last represented the team in the shortest format of the game in December 2023.
Shreyas Iyer closing in on brilliant comeback
There have been widespread discussions on Iyer's snub from the T20I squad, especially after the batter had led Punjab Kings to the final IPL 2025, where he also starred with 583 runs in the season. Several cricket pundits also cited stories of favouritism by selectors amid the constant ignorance towards Iyer. However, the time seems to have finally arrived for the 31-year-old, as he may well find a spot for the World Cup as well, where the Men in Blue will be defending their title.
Recovering from his spleen injury during the 2025 tour of Australia, Iyer underwent an excessive rehab at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He has already been named in the ODI squad against the BlackCaps, and is currently busy captaining Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He is expected to lead the side for a couple of rounds, before a final assessment of his injury will be made by the medical team.
The first T20I against New Zealand is set to be played on January 21 in Nagpur, and Tilak will certainly not be able to make it to the squad for the five-match assignment. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to make an official announcement regarding his replacement soon. Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to begin on February 7, with the co-hosts India playing their opening group stage match against the United States of America.
India vs New Zealand 2026 — T20I series schedule
| Match | Date | Time (IST) | Venue |
| 1st T20I | January 21 | 7:00 PM | Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur |
| 2nd T20I | January 23 | 7:00 PM | Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium, Raipur |
| 3rd T20I | January 25 | 7:00 PM | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati |
| 4th T20I | January 28 | 7:00 PM | Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA International Stadium, Visakhapatnam |
| 5th T20I | January 31 | 7:00 PM | Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram |
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