Tilak Varma, India’s middle-order batter, suffered an injury during the present Vijay Hazare Trophy, dealing a huge blow to the country’s preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Although the injury is not significant, he is certain to miss the forthcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which begins on January 21 in Nagpur.
With Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh already in the squad, both of whom can play in the middle order, the selectors will need to recruit a player to replace the Hyderabad batter. As Tilak remains sidelined for the New Zealand series and a potential threat to the T20 World Cup, consider players who can be a like-for-like replacement for the cricketer.
Here are 3 players who can replace Tilak Varma in India T20I team
1. Shreyas Iyer
One big name that can come back into India’s T20 squad is Shreyas Iyer. The middle-order batter has been declared fit to play and marked his return to the field with a solid knock of 82 off 53 balls for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26.
Iyer, an IPL-winning captain, has been off the selectors’ radar in the shortest format of the game. He played his last T20I way back in December 2023, but could make his surprise entry into the team following Tilak Varma‘s injury, considering he also brings leadership experience along with a strong resume as an IPL captain.
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad has also been in excellent form in domestic cricket, playing for Maharashtra, and might be considered Tilak’s replacement. The 28-year-old has previously shown himself in the international arena and is an excellent choice given his adaptable style of play. Gaikwad is more suited as an opener, but he has also batted below in the IPL for the Chennai Super Kings.
Gaikwad was dropped from India’s ODI squad against New Zealand despite his good performance in the recently finished series against South Africa. But he might potentially make a surprise return to the Men in Blue squad for the T20I leg.
3. Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal has been in fine form across formats in domestic cricket, notably in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The Karnataka batter so far has scored a staggering 620 runs in just 7 innings at an average of 91.42. Even in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he was in fine touch, scoring 309 runs in 6 matches at an impressive strike rate of 167.02.
The selectors will be looking at the Karnataka batter as a potential replacement for the injured youngster for the series against the BlackCaps, considering his strong form, and someone who also provides a left-hand batting option.
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