India have got a lot of relief ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup, as Tilak Verma is close to returning to action. The young batsman is on the verge of getting clearance from the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru during the ongoing five-match home T20 series against New Zealand.
Tilak Verma is still recovering from surgery and his return has been delayed. He was expected to play in the last two T20 matches against New Zealand but has been ruled out of the home series. The left-handed batsman last represented Hyderabad against Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this month.
Tilak Verma is about to get approval after the simulation match in BCCI’s COE
According to a report in Times of India, Tilak Verma is close to his comeback as he continues to recover from stomach surgery. He is currently training at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru. The left-handed batsman has to play a simulation match on Friday.
It is expected that the medical team will give him clearance. Earlier it was expected that Tilak would join the Indian team for the fourth and fifth T20 matches against New Zealand. However, his recovery took longer than planned.
The Hyderabad batsman is expected to join the Indian team in Mumbai on February 3, provided he regains full match fitness. He is likely to join four days before the start of the World Cup and play India’s practice matches for the tournament.
Tilak Verma hopes to return straight to the playing eleven
Tilak Verma is expected to return to India’s playing XI when the Men in Blue begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7. He is currently the third-ranked batsman in the ICC men’s T20I batting rankings. The 23-year-old has scored 1,183 runs in 40 T20Is at an average of 49.49 and a strike rate of 144.09.
Verma has scored two centuries and five half-centuries. He made his T20I debut against West Indies in August 2023 and quickly became a reliable presence in India’s middle-order. In the final of the Asia Cup 2025, he remained unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls as India chased the target of 147.
India will enter the T20 World Cup 2026 as defending champions after winning their second title by defeating South Africa in the 2024 final. Suryakumar Yadav and his team now aim to defend the trophy and become the first team to win it on home soil.
The tournament will start from February 7 and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. India have been placed in Group A along with Pakistan, United States, Namibia and Netherlands.
Washington Sundar still won’t play simulation match after rib injury
Washington Sundar has not yet participated in the simulation match. The 26-year-old suffered discomfort in the lower rib area while bowling in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara. Following the injury, he was ruled out of the remaining matches of the ODI series as well as the ongoing T20I series.
Sundar has already started batting during the training session and is likely to start bowling again in the coming days. India are keeping a close eye on his progress as Sundar is the only off-spinner in the T20 World Cup squad.
It is unclear whether he will be fit in time for India’s match against the United States or the second group match against Namibia. The team management believes that he can play an important role in the latter stages of the tournament.
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