Tilak Varma Nears Return After Surgery Ahead of T20 World Cup and NZ T20I Series

Indian batter Tilak Varma is recovering from testicular torsion surgery performed in early January during the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He has resumed physical training and joined the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for fitness assessment, aiming to return for the fourth T20I against New Zealand on January 28. Varma missed the first three matches of the series, with Shreyas Iyer temporarily replacing him. The board awaits official clearance before confirming his return ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.