Punjab Newsline,Sports:
BCCI Clarifies Status — Tilak Varma Ruled Out Due to Fitness Concerns, Shreyas to Stay with Team for Final Two T20Is
India have already taken an unassailable 3–0 lead in the five-match T20 International series against New Zealand, and amid this strong run, a key update has emerged regarding team selection. Shreyas Iyer, who was included as a temporary replacement for the injured Tilak Varma, will now remain part of the squad for the remaining two matches of the series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially confirmed the decision.
Shreyas Iyer will travel with the Indian team to Visakhapatnam and later to Thiruvananthapuram, where the final two matches of the series will be played. Initially, Iyer was named as Tilak Varma’s replacement only for the first three games, but it has now been made clear that the young batter will not be returning for the remainder of the series.
Tilak Varma, 23, had to undergo surgery earlier this month in Rajkot after sustaining an injury during a Vijay Hazare Trophy match. Since then, he has been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. According to the board, Tilak has resumed physical training and is making steady progress, but he is not yet match-fit.
In its official statement, the BCCI said that Tilak Varma has been ruled out of the last two T20 Internationals as a precautionary measure. The board added that once he regains full match fitness, Tilak will join the Indian squad in Mumbai on February 3, ahead of India’s preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Meanwhile, the Men’s Selection Committee has recommended that Shreyas Iyer continue as Tilak Varma’s replacement for the remainder of the series. Although Iyer has not yet featured in the playing XI during the ongoing T20Is, the team management believes his experience adds value to the squad, especially with major tournaments approaching.
Notably, Shreyas Iyer, who is India’s vice-captain in the ODI format, has not played a T20 International since December 2023. Despite this, the selectors have shown confidence in him by keeping him in the squad.
As India look ahead, the focus will remain on maintaining their winning momentum in the remaining matches while also testing bench strength and fine-tuning combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup.