Tilak Varma Out, Shreyas Iyer Stays for New Zealand T20Is

Indian cricketer Tilak Varma has been ruled out for the remaining T20I series against New Zealand due to an abdomen injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that Varma is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Despite his steady progress, he will not be available for the last two matches of the series as he requires additional time to regain full match fitness.

Shreyas Iyer will continue in the squad as Varma's replacement. Even though Iyer has not yet played in the series, India has already secured victory with a commanding 3-0 lead. The Indian team management has opted to give Ishan Kishan an opportunity in the batting order, considering he has returned to international cricket after nearly two years out of action.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav explained the decision to prioritize Kishan over Iyer, stating, “We picked him first for the World Cup team, so it’s only fair that he gets the chance first. He also has not played for India in a long time. He deserves to play ahead.” This shows the team’s strategy to ensure that players who have been sidelined get their chance to prove themselves.

Tilak Varma suffered his injury while competing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which led doctors to recommend surgery. This injury not only rules him out of the T20I series but also puts pressure on him to recover in time for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting on February 7, 2026.

As the series progresses, the focus will remain on how the Indian team adapts to these changes and whether Iyer will finally get a chance to showcase his skills in the remaining matches. With the team looking strong, fans are eager to see how the players perform on the field in the upcoming games.