Will Tilak Varma return for final two T20Is against NZ?
What's the story
India's star left-handed batter Tilak Varma has been ruled out of the last two T20I matches against New Zealand due to an abdominal issue, according to a report by Dainik Jagran. The Hyderabad-based cricketer was also absent from the first three matches of the series due to the same issue. However, he is expected to be fit in time for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Here are further details.
Upcoming matches
Varma's return and India's T20 World Cup schedule
Varma's return to the squad comes just ahead of India's T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up match against South Africa on February 4 in Navi Mumbai. The team's first official match of the tournament will be against the United States of America (USA) on February 7, also in Mumbai. In Varma's absence, Shreyas Iyer had been added to India's squad for the first three T20Is against New Zealand.
Team dynamics
Iyer's potential continuation in the squad
There is a high possibility that Iyer could continue to be part of Team India for the remaining two matches of the ongoing series. However, it remains to be seen if he will be included in the playing XI for these matches. In Tilak Varma's absence, Ishan Kishan had taken over as India's No. 3 batter for the first three T20Is against New Zealand.
Match highlights
Kishan's performance in Varma's absence
Kishan had a stellar performance in the second T20I against New Zealand, scoring 76 runs off just 32 balls. He also contributed to India's victory in the third T20I by scoring 28 runs off 13 balls. Meanwhile, Varma has also been sensational in T20Is - scoring 1,183 runs at an average of 49.29 and a strike rate of 144.09.