India’s middle-order batter Tilak Varma will not take part in the final two T20Is of the ongoing series against New Zealand. BCCI confirmed on Monday that the 23-year-old requires more time to achieve full match fitness following a recent medical procedure.

Tilak Varma had recently undergone surgery for an abdominal issue in Rajkot on January 7. He is currently stable and progressing well but the medical team has advised a gradual return to physical training and skill-based activities.

Consequently, he has been ruled out of the current home assignment to ensure he is 100% fit for the upcoming global event.

In a positive development for Indian fans, Tilak is expected to link up with the national squad in Mumbai on February 3. This timeline suggests he will be available for India's warm-up fixtures just ahead of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which kicks off on February 7.

“He (Tilak) underwent surgery for an abdominal issue in Rajkot on Wednesday, 7 January. He was discharged from the hospital on Thursday morning and is scheduled to fly back to Hyderabad on Friday. He is currently stable and progressing well,” the BCCI had said in an update earlier.

“Tilak will resume physical training and gradually return to skill-based activities once his symptoms have fully resolved and wound healing is satisfactory,” the update added.

Squad Adjustments

With Tilak sidelined, the All India Senior Men’s Selection Committee has recommended that Shreyas Iyer continue in the squad as his replacement for the remainder of the New Zealand series.

Meanwhile, the team management continues to experiment with Ishan Kishan at No. 3, while Sanju Samson remains under pressure to perform following a string of low scores in the first three matches.