India has received great news ahead of their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, beginning on February 07 against the United States of America at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Their star number three batter, Tilak Varma, is expected to return to full fitness and join their camp on February 03. 

Tilak Varma picked up the injury during the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025/26 clash in Hyderabad and was out of action for three weeks, missing the ongoing five-match T20I series at home against New Zealand, which saw Sanju Samson opening the batting with Abhishek Sharma, while Ishan Kishan batted at number three.

See Also: Sunrisers Eastern Cape win 3rd trophy in SA20 2025/26 season under Tristan Stubbs' captaincy

Kishan played magnificently to cement his place in the XI, but the concern is around Samson, who has returned with three consecutive poor scores at the opening position, being dismissed thrice inside the powerplay, which now creates questions and doubt whether the management would try to slot Kishan as the opener and bring Varma at number three in the playing XI for the World Cup. 

Tilak Varma set to return for India in T20 World Cup 2026

Varma has been a phenomenal performer for the blue brigade, having collected 1183 runs in 37 innings of the shortest format at an average of 49.29 and a strike rate of 144.09, thanks to six half-centuries and two centuries at the best score of unbeaten 120 runs, along with the essential knock against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final.

If Tilak returns to the XI and Kishan gets the promotion for the opening spot with Abhishek, and India continue to have Shivam Dube at number five, then they will have four left-handed batters among the top five. That will increase the importance of the captain, Suryakumar Yadav, at the top.

Tilak won’t, in that case, feature in the fourth and fifth T20I of the ongoing series, which will give some breathing space to Samson. The Hyderabad batter is likely to play India’s only warm-up clash against South Africa on February 04 at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.