India’s recognized number three T20I batter, Tilak Varma, is very close to losing his spot in the T20 World Cup due to an injury that he picked up during the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025/26 while he was playing for Hyderabad. A few days ago, the reports claimed that he had slightly recovered from the injury and is expected to make his return in the last two T20Is for India against New Zealand in the ongoing series.

Tilak Varma has recently posted a video of his recovery at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he was seen lifting weights. The video was quick to grab attention from the public around the social media platforms, as many now anticipate the left-handed batters' return to the T-28 site for the World Cup, where India plays the curtain raiser against the United States of America.

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Tilak has always been a vital member of the shortest format in the national side as he has notched up 1183 runs in 37 T20 innings at an average of nearly 50 and strike rate of 144, thanks to his six half-centuries and two centuries at the best code of unbeaten 120 runs.

Tilak Varma expected to make his T20I return  before World Cup 2026

As the replacement of Tilak, the BCCI went back to Shreyas Iyer, who has been in a clinical T20 form, after leading the Punjab Kings to the runners-up position in the previous Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, where he ended up with over 600 runs at a strike rate of more than 175.

Watch the video here: 

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In the ongoing New Zealand T20I match at Nagpur, the management used Ishan Kishan at number three as the Jharkhand batter, having won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26, for his state side made his return to the national team after two years.

Tilap has always been a match-winner for the Indian side in crunch situations, including his vital lock in the final of the Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan when he played an unbeaten knock to shoulder the side over the line.