India Batsman Tilak Varma Undergoes Emergency Surgery, Likely to Miss T20Is Against New Zealand

New Delhi, Jan 2026 : India’s promising batsman Tilak Varma underwent emergency surgery in Rajkot on Wednesday and is expected to miss the upcoming five T20Is against New Zealand, sources close to the matter confirmed. The 23-year-old Hyderabad batter complained of severe stomach pain after breakfast, a day before Hyderabad was scheduled to face Jammu and Kashmir in their final Vijay Hazare Trophy league match at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, Ground C.

Varma was rushed to a hospital in Rajkot, where medical scans revealed the need for immediate surgery. Acting on guidance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, Varma successfully underwent the operation and is reportedly recovering well. A source said, “Tilak was in a lot of pain, so the operation was urgent. Thankfully, it went smoothly on Wednesday evening at a super-specialty hospital in Rajkot. If all goes as planned, he could be discharged tomorrow. His status for next month’s T20 World Cup will be clearer in the next 1-2 days.”

A top sports medicine specialist, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that recovery from such emergency procedures typically takes up to a month. The specialist added that the extent of tissue damage plays a critical role in recovery, explaining that pain is significant in these surgeries due to the involvement of highly innervated organs where twisting or blood supply restriction can occur.

Varma’s surgery has raised questions about his availability for the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, with India facing the USA in their opening match. Varma has been an integral part of India’s T20 setup, scoring 1,183 runs in 37 innings, averaging 49.29 with a strike rate of 144.09, including two centuries and six half-centuries in T20Is.

In his absence, India may adjust their batting order, with captain Suryakumar Yadav potentially slotting in at number three. The BCCI has not announced a replacement for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting in Nagpur on January 21. Sources suggest that Varma’s unavailability could open the door for Shreyas Iyer or another middle-order batsman to feature in the series, giving the team flexibility ahead of the World Cup.

Verma’s recovery and readiness for international cricket will be closely monitored in the coming days, with selectors and the coaching staff waiting for the green signal before finalizing World Cup preparations.