Swashbuckling India batter Tilak Varma is set to be cleared by the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru after making a successful recovery from a groin injury. A promising update on his fitness is a huge boost for India ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.

Tilak is going to be released from CoE, and he will link up with the Indian team in Mumbai on February 3. The star all-rounder will be extremely excited to return to the field and contribute with impactful efforts for his team in the marquee tournament, which is scheduled to be played in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

After undergoing surgery for a groin injury on January 7, Varma has been training at the CoE. He was scheduled to participate in a simulation match on Friday to receive final fitness clearance. The development means the 23-year-old batter is expected to be available for all the games in the T20 World Cup. Following his clearance, Varma is expected to join the Indian squad for warm-up fixtures ahead of the T20 showpiece.

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He will make his comeback to the national side after missing the recent T20 series against New Zealand, where Shreyas Iyer was used as his replacement. On the other hand, Washington Sundar also missed the NZ series and is expected to undergo a fitness test in the coming days. Riyan Parag has not played in nearly two months due to a shoulder injury, and he will play the two warm-up games India A are scheduled to play in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. 

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Meanwhile, the Indian team led by Suryakumar Yadav defeated New Zealand 4-1 in the five-match T20I series. The hosts came up with yet another dominant effort in the final game on Saturday. On the back of Ishan Kishan's maiden T20I century, India posted a mammoth total of 271/5 in their 20 overs after opting to bat first. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav kept his impressive form going and played a fiery knock of 63 runs in just 30 balls.

The Blackcaps were bowled out for 225 in 19.4 overs, suffering a 46-run defeat. Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers for India as he took his maiden five-for, whereas Axar Patel found three scalps on his return to the side.

Defending champions India will begin their campaign against the USA on the opening day of the T20 World Cup.