India all-rounder Tilak Varma is getting back on track and is inching closer to gaining full fitness. The left-handed batter will join the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Tuesday as he recovers from a testicular torsion surgery, according to a report in The Times of India.
According to the report, Tilak isn’t feeling any pain and is heading to the CoE for a fitness test and further assessment to get Return to Play. Tilak was ruled out for the first three T20Is of the series after undergoing surgery in Rajkot for an abdominal issue a couple of weeks ago during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
“If everything goes well, he will be fit before the fourth T20I on January 28 in Vishakhapatnam. He has resumed physical training and, in a day or two, will start batting and other skill-based activities,” a source told The Times of India.
🚨 TILAK VARMA RECOVERY BOOST FOR TEAM INDIA 🚨
-Big relief! Tilak Varma is pain-free and back at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru.
His fast recovery after Jan 7 surgery is great news for the 2026 T20 WC. 🇮🇳🔥
He could return in the 4th T20I vs NZ (Jan 28). pic.twitter.com/Fw8YW4qOGh— Sam (@Cricsam01) January 20, 2026
Shreyas Iyer was added to the squad for the first three matches of the T20I series against New Zealand. Iyer last played a T20I in December 2023 against Australia at home and had since been out of India’s T20I plans. Tilak has been a crucial part of India’s T20I setup over the past year, amassing 567 runs in 18 innings in 2025 at an average of 47.25 and a strike rate of 129.15.
SQUAD: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vc), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Bishnoi
Also Read: Suryakumar Yadav In Focus As India Begin T20 World Cup 2026 Preparations Vs New Zealand
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