Big boost for team India as Tilak Varma clears fitness test for T20 World Cup 2026

The BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) has given India batsman Tilak Varma the all-clear to resume playing and participate in two warm-up matches before the 2026 T20 World Cup. Due to testicular surgery for an injury sustained during the Ranji Trophy earlier in January, he has been sidelined for almost a month.

According to ESPNCricinfo, Tilak has been out for nearly a month due to testicular surgery after suffering an injury during a Ranji Trophy match in January. On February 2, he will play for India A against the USA at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. On February 4, India will play a warm-up match against South Africa.

He was originally scheduled to play for India in the final two Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand, but his availability for the World Cup prevented him from being included.

“Tilak played a simulation match at the CoE on Friday to test his match fitness. As a result, he’s playing on February 2 for India A in their warm-up game against the USA at the DY Patil Stadium. If it goes well, then he will join the main Indian team ahead of their warm-up match against South Africa on February 4,” said a source tracking the development to IANS on Saturday.

The 23-year-old, who is India's official third hitter in Twenty20 Internationals, is essential to their chances. At a strike rate of 144.09, he has now amassed 1183 runs from 4 Twenty20 Internationals. When India defeated Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup final, Tilak was the team's top scorer. Throughout his T20I career, he has scored two hundreds and six fifties.

With the T20 World Cup scheduled to begin on February 7, Tilak's comeback is encouraging for India. Over time, the explosive southpaw has demonstrated his batting prowess in T20Is. The star of the Mumbai Indians is the team's designated No. 3, a position in which he has excelled because of his ability to either accelerate or anchor the innings as necessary.

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