Tilak Varma Out of First Three NZ T20Is After Abdomen Surgery

• Indian batter Tilak Varma ruled out of the first three T20Is against New Zealand due to abdomen surgery.
• BCCI confirmed his unavailability for the series starting January 23; no replacement has been named yet.
• Varma underwent surgery in Rajkot on January 7, was discharged, and is flying back to Hyderabad.
• His availability for the remaining two matches will be assessed based on his recovery progress.
• This development raises concerns for India's T20 World Cup squad, with the tournament less than a month away.

Why It Matters: Tilak Varma misses initial NZ T20Is post-surgery, raising World Cup concerns for India.