He will also miss the T20 World Cup 2026.
Tilak Varma has sustained an abdominal injury, which needs immediate surgery after scans in Rajkot, putting his spot on the India T20 World Cup 2026 squad at risk. With the ICC event nearly a month away, Tilak Varma is expected to undergo recovery for three to four weeks. The 23-year-old middle-order batter, known for finishing games, is expected to miss the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting January 21.
The situation opens the door for four players who weren’t previously selected in the provisional squad and could replace Tilak in the India T20 World Cup 2026 squad: Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant.
The most notable exclusion from India T20 World Cup 2026 squad was Shubman Gill, who was appointed vice-captain of the T20I setup ahead of the Asia Cup 2025. When the BCCI announced a 15-player squad, it aimed for balance by favouring wicketkeepers Ishan Kishan (who top scored in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) and Sanju Samson at the top order over specialist batters like Gill. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained Gill’s exclusion, pointing to his recent 271 runs in 14 T20Is at an average of 24.63 and his poor performance in the South Africa series, where he scored only 32 runs in 3 innings.
However, in the absence of Tilak Varma, Gill emerges as the front-runner to replace him in the squad, given the long run the team management has given him despite his poor form. So, his skill could lead to a recall, though his inclusion may again hamper the aggressive opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.
Shreyas Iyer is a top contender for a replacement spot. He has announced himself after nearly a three-month break, having been cleared after a spleen injury he sustained during the October 2025 Australia tour. He displayed he’s all set to take on the bowling attack to cleaners by scoring 82 runs off 53 balls for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.
Iyer’s recent exploits in white-ball cricket and stupendous IPL numbers, having amassed 604 runs in 17 matches of IPL 2025 at an average of 50.33 and strike rate of 175.07, along with his recent Vijay Hazare performance, make him a good fit for Tilak’s spot in the middle order. He could provide stability as India aims to defend their title.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal, 24, was a backup opener in the T20 World Cup 2024. After Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s exit, Jaiswal played a few T20I games before he got busy with Test cricket. Staying away from the T20I setup cost him his place, as Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma shone and made their mark. However, his T20I stats (723 runs at a 36.15 average at a 164.31 strike rate, including a hundred and five fifties) and IPL 2025 performance, where he scored 559 runs at a 43 average with a strike rate of 159.71, including six fifties, push his case further.
While his inclusion will force India to change in combination with Sanju Samson, potentially batting in the middle order, Tilak’s absence brings Jaiswal back into consideration for his ability to hit big in the powerplay. His recent hundred against Haryana in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 highlights his potential.
Rishabh Pant, the Test vice-captain, was not selected for the squad, as Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma had already cemented their spots. Ishan Kishan was also making a strong case for inclusion with his solid domestic performances. Pant, meanwhile, has been out of form, and his T20I stats are not impressive, with 1209 runs at a 23.25 average and a 127.26 strike rate. The fact that he hasn’t played a single T20I for India since the 2024 T20 World Cup suggests he is far down the pecking order.
And with Ishan and Samson cutting the T20 World Cup 2026, this raises questions about whether dropped wicketkeepers might be brought back for team balance.
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