Big Blow for India before T20 World Cup 2026! Tilak Varma undergoes emergency surgery, to miss IND vs NZ series - Reports
(Courtesy : BCCI)
Tilak Varma complained of acute pain and rushed to hospital, where he was advised to undergo surgery.
India’s T20 plans have suffered a fresh setback as Tilak Varma is all set to miss the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand. The left-hander could be sideline for three to four weeks, putting his availability for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will begin on February 7, under the scanner.
Tilak Varma was in Rajkot, representing his state side in the Vijay Hazare trophy 2025-26 when the issue surfaced. According to reports in India Today, he reported acute testicular pain in Rajkot and discomfort was significant enough for him to be rushed to a local hospital, where multiple scans were conducted. He was diagnosed with testicular torsion and the reports were then forwarded to doctors at the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru for further evaluation.
A source close to Indian Express also confirmed about the same, stating:
“Tilak faced severe pain in his abdomen today (Wednesday). He was rushed to a hospital in Rajkot, where various scans were done, and the reports were sent to the doctors at the COE.” The same source added,”Doctors have advised him to undergo surgery, which will take 3 to 4 weeks for him to recover. Chances of playing the entire T20I series against New Zealand look bleak.”
The timing of the injury is far from Ideal. The T20I series against New Zealand begins on January 21 in Nagpur. With Tilak almost certainly unavailable, the selector will have to name a replacement. However, the bigger concern for the team management is Tilak’s availability for the T20 World Cup starting on February 7.
Tilak’s importance to India’s T20 setup has grown significantly over the past year. His ability to absorb pressure, rotate strike and accelerate at the death has made him the preferred choice in the middle order. He was also one of the stand out performance in the Asia Cup 2025 final, further cementing his place in the side, losing him at this stage will disturb the balance that team India have been trying to build ahead of a major ICC event.
Shubman Gill’s return highly unlikely as replacement for Tilak Varma in T20Is
With a replacement to be named, speculation naturally turned towards Shubman Gill, who was surprisingly left out of the squad for the T20I series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup 2026.
However, as per Indian Express, Gill’s return is highly unlikely. It is learned that the selection committee and management are not keen on recalling him for the series. The logic is simple – is currently India’s test and ODI Captain and bringing him back only to potentially sit on the bench or act as a substitute fielder does not make much.
There is also the awkward scenario of having to drop Gill again if Tilak makes a quicker-than-expected recovery and returns midway through the series against New Zealand. Such chopping and changing is something the team management wants to avoid, especially with the World Cup around the corner.
Potential replacements for Tilak Varma for IND vs NZ series
With Shubman Gill, return highly unlikely, a more realistic option could be Assam’s Riyan Parag, provided he fully recovers from his own shoulder injury. Parag has been in good form in the domestic cricket and offers a similar skill set— aggressive, batting, sharp fielding— making him alike for replacement in many ways.
Another option could be Ruturaj Gaikwad, who also has been in fabulous form in domestic cricket for sometime now. Ruturaj was dropped from the ODI squad for the New Zealand series due to the return of Shreyas Iyer. But with Tilak’s injury, Raj could make a surprising comeback to the Indian team setup— this time in the T20s.
For now, all eyes remain on Tilak’s recovery. If surgery does go ahead as advised, the next few weeks will be crucial. While missing the New Zealand series would be a blow, India will be hoping that he can return in time for the World Cup, where his presence could be vital in high-pressure matches.
Why is Tilak Varma likely to miss the New Zealand T20Is?
He has suffered lower abdomen injury and underwent surgery with a 3–4 week recovery period.
Where did Tilak Varma pick up the injury?
He was in Rajkot playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy when he felt severe abdominal pain after breakfast.
Who could replace Tilak Varma in the Indian T20I squad?
Riyan Parag is the frontrunner, subject to fitness clearance from his shoulder injury.
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Vishwajit Sawant is a sports content writer with two years of experience who believes in writing that feels honest, simple, and easy to read. He enjoys breaking down sporting moments into stories readers can genuinely connect with, without relying on fancy vocabulary. His work spans cricket, football, basketball, tennis, and Formula 1, with a focus on match previews, reviews, and reports. Vishwajit believes good content doesn’t need to be loud — it just needs to leave a subtle impact.