Shreyas Iyer will remain part of the Indian squad for the rest of the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Tuesday. Update Tilak Varma continues his recovery from injury and is now expected to rejoin the national team ahead of India’s warm-up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
India already has Sealed the five-match T20I series with a 3-0 leadhowever, team management preferred to maintain continuity in the squad as preparations for the global event, which begins on February 7, intensifies.
BCCI approves Tilak Varma’s gradual recovery plan
In an official statement, the BCCI clarified Tilak’s rehabilitation timeline, confirming that the left-hander is making steady progress at the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru. However, the Board admitted that Tilak needs extra time to regain full match fitness.
“Tilak Varma makes steady progress with his rehabilitation at the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru” the statement said. “However, he will require extra time to regain full fitness and will not be available for the last two T20Is of the ongoing IDFC First Bank five-match T20I series.”
The board further added that after full recovery, Tilak plans to link up with the Indian team in Mumbai on February 3 for the team’s warm-up match ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The selection committee favors Shreyas Iyer as a replacement
As Tilak was unavailable for the rest of the series, the Men’s Selection Committee recommended it Shreyas Iyer continues as its replacement. Although Iyer has not featured in a match so far, his presence offers depth and experience as India manage workloads and finalize combinations.
Despite being named in the squad, Iyer had to wait for an opportunity, preferring to try other options after India closed the series early. The decision reflects the team’s broader strategy of balancing practice with preparation ahead of the big tournament.
The Indian team management instead chose to give ample opportunities to Ishan Kishan, who returned to international cricket after nearly two years. As part of India’s World Cup build-up plan, Ishan has been given a run in the batting order.
Explaining the decision before the start of the series, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav said the move was based on fairness and long-term planning. “We picked him first for the World Cup team, so it’s only fair that he gets the chance first. He hasn’t played for India for a long time. He deserves to play up front.” Suryakumar had said.
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Injury setback and a race against time for Tilak
Tilak Varma suffered an abdominal injury while representing his state in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. At the time, doctor’s advice suggested surgery, which ruled him out of the T20I series against New Zealand and raised concerns about his availability for the T20 World Cup.
The injury has made his recovery a race against time, but the BCCI’s latest update shows cautious optimism. By delaying his return until he is fully fit, India want to avoid any risk of complications ahead of the demanding tournament.
Updated India squad for the remaining T20I series against New Zealand
Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Icharavarthy, Shreyas Patel,
Also READ: New Zealand players inspect Abhishek Sharma’s bat after the Guwahati innings – IND vs NZ, 3rd T20I
