Tilak Varma doubtful starter for New Zealand T20Is

The Tilak Varma situation may be giving sleepless nights to Indian selectors and fans alike, not to mention the team management and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Hyderabad batter, the hero of India's Asia Cup triumph in Dubai last year, is convalescing in Rajkot with question marks over his availability for the T20 World Cup next starting next month.

He underwent surgery for Testicular Torsion in Rajkot on Wednesday (January 7), exactly one month before the World Cup kicks off, and his availability is a bit touch-and-go. Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) officials say the surgery requires three to four weeks for full recovery, which means his participation in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand is doubtful. The selectors are expected to announce a replacement in due course.

However, sources close to the player say he will be up and running in just about a week. India play their first World Cup game in Mumbai against the USA on February 7. "He will be fit in a week's time. It was a minor surgery, not bone-related, and he will be available soon - in about a week. He will definitely play some matches in the T20I series against New Zealand, if not all," a source close to him told Cricbuzz.

Hyderabad were up against Bengal in the January 6 Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) match when Varma was hit while batting. Leading the side, Varma batted at No. 3 and scored 34 off 45 deliveries. He complained of pain the next day (January 7) and initial reports say he was immediately operated upon.

It was the very match against Bengal in which Hyderabad opener Aman Rao smashed 14 runs off the last three deliveries of the innings - a 6, 2, 6 - to complete his double century. Hyderabad won by 107 runs.

Hyderabad are currently playing against Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday (January 8) and Chama Milind is leading Hyderabad in Varma's absence.