There are only a few days left for the start of the T20 World Cup 2026. Before the prestigious tournament begins, sad news has emerged from the Indian team. Young star Tilak Varma, who played a key role in India’s Asia Cup victory, is ill. He was admitted to the hospital on January 7th after experiencing sudden stomach pains after breakfast.

He was diagnosed with testicular torsion. Doctors immediately decided on surgery. According to media reports, the surgery was successful. However, there is no concrete confirmation of his return to the field. If, God forbid, his return is delayed and he is ruled out of the T20 World Cup, these three prominent players are ready to replace him:

Players who can replace Tilak Varma

Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is fit. He’s always been a topic of discussion. He hasn’t been included in the Indian squad for the upcoming tournament. Like Tilak, the 31-year-old Iyer is a perfect number four batsman. He has proven his worth at this position. Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were included in the squad.

Shubman Gill

For the past few months, the captain and coach had been expressing full confidence in Shubman Gill. However, due to a series of poor performances, he was abruptly dropped from the team. Now that Tilak is ill, there is a possibility of his return to the team. Gill’s class is well known to the world. On his day, he has the ability to single-handedly win matches.

Ruturaj Gaikwad

In-form batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad is also in the running. He scored a century while batting at number four in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa. If he gets a chance in the team, he has the potential to make good on Tilak’s absence.