IND vs NZ: Shreyas Iyer likely to replace injured Tilak Varma in India's T20I squad

Tilak Varma suffered an injury while playing for Hyderabad in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Shreyas Iyer, who has not played for India in T20Is since 2023, might get another chance to prove his worth in the shortest format in the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand. This chance might come after ace batter Tilak Varma suffered a serious injury during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 match.

India will face New Zealand in a five-match T20I series beginning on January 21. It will be their final competitive outing before defending their title at the T20 World Cup. The World Cup roster of 15 players has already been picked by the selectors, with Tilak included and anticipated to play.

Tilak Varma has suffered an abdominal ailment that may keep him out of the next five-match T20I series against New Zealand, according to The Indian Express. His likely absence comes at a frightening time, with the T20 World Cup 2026 only a month away.

The 23-year-old left-hander started having stomach problems on Wednesday morning after breakfast while playing for Hyderabad in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Rajkot. The condition quickly worsened and became serious, requiring emergency medical care.

Tilak Varma undergoes emergency surgery

After Tilak Varma was brought to the hospital, medical professionals performed scans to determine the severity of his injuries.

Subsequently, the medical reports were sent to experts at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for additional assessment. The doctors at CoE advised him to undergo surgery.

“He was immediately rushed to the Gokul Hospital, where scans diagnosed him with testicular torsion, and doctors advised immediate surgery. Tilak subsequently underwent successful surgery yesterday and is now doing well. He will be out of the hospital today,” Saurashtra Cricket Association president Jaydev Shah was quoted as saying by Times of India on Thursday (January 8).

Tilak will be out of action for 3-4 weeks, and the BCCI selection committee is likely to name a replacement for the New Zealand series, starting on January 21 in Nagpur. 

Shreyas Iyer is one of the contenders for the New Zealand T20Is

One potential replacement is Shreyas Iyer. It’s possible that Iyer, who recently recovered from an injury, will be included in India’s T20I team to cover for the Hyderabad cricketer. The Mumbai batter is the frontrunner to replace Tilak in the squad.

Iyer, who scored 583 runs during the season, guided the Punjab Kings to the final IPL 2025. Despite having such a stellar record, he was not considered for T20Is, including the Asia Cup for India.

Iyer himself made a return to cricket for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after recovering from his spleen injury, which he had suffered in the Sydney ODI in Australia. He has already been named in the ODI squad against the BlackCaps.

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