Tilak Varma Out of NZ T20Is Due to Abdomen Injury; World Cup 2026 Start Doubtful

• Star Indian batter Tilak Varma ruled out of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand due to an abdomen injury.
• The injury occurred in Rajkot during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, leading to consultation at BCCI's Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru.
• Doctors have advised surgery, requiring 3-4 weeks recovery, making his participation in the upcoming series bleak.
• Potential surgery could also see him miss India's initial Group A matches in the T20 World Cup 2026.
• India's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign includes matches in Mumbai, Delhi, Colombo, and Ahmedabad.

Why It Matters: Tilak Varma's abdomen injury sidelines him from NZ T20Is and threatens his T20 World Cup 2026 start.