IND vs NZ T20Is: Iyer retains spot as Tilak ruled out of last two matches

India will be without Tilak Varma for the final two T20Is against New Zealand, with the left-hander failing to regain full match fitness in time. As a result, Shreyas Iyer, who was named Tilak’s replacement for the first three matches, has retained his spot in the squad for the remainder of the series. The last two matches of the series will be played in Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram.

 

Meanwhile, Tilak is continuing his rehabilitation after undergoing abdominal surgery earlier this month. While he has resumed physical training, the Indian board has decided not to rush his return, keeping the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in mind. 

 

Tilak needs more time to return to full fitness

The BCCI confirmed that Tilak is making steady progress at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru but will require additional time before he is ready for competitive cricket. According to a media report from Cricbuzz, the team management and selectors were aligned on giving the batter a longer recovery window rather than risking a premature comeback during the bilateral series.

 

Tilak had been expected to link up with the squad for the latter half of the series, but medical assessments indicated that he was not yet match-ready, leading to his exclusion from the final two games.

Iyer continues as replacement despite no game time so far

Iyer, who was brought in as a temporary replacement, has yet to feature in the playing XI during the ongoing series and has not played a T20I since December 2023.

 

Despite that, the selectors have opted for continuity rather than making further changes, valuing Iyer’s experience in the middle order as India fine-tunes combinations ahead of the World Cup.

Tilak expected to rejoin squad before World Cup warm-up

The BCCI has indicated that Tilak is expected to link up with the Indian squad in Mumbai on February 3, once he regains full match fitness. He is likely to be available for India’s warm-up match ahead of the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7.

 

Tilak underwent surgery in Rajkot after sustaining the injury during a Vijay Hazare Trophy match. Those close to the player remain confident that he will be fully fit in time for the global tournament.

Washington Sundar’s World Cup availability still unclear

Meanwhile, uncertainty continues around Washington Sundar’s fitness. The all-rounder has been sidelined since the first ODI against New Zealand in Baroda after experiencing discomfort in his lower rib area while bowling. Subsequent scans and consultations confirmed a side strain, following which he was advised rest and further rehabilitation at the CoE.

 

Sundar was ruled out of the T20I series, with Ravi Bishnoi named as his replacement. Bishnoi has also made a strong case for a World Cup spot after his brilliant 2 for 18 spell against New Zealand in the third T20I on Sunday.

India squad for last two T20Is vs New Zealand

Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vc), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravi Bishnoi.