Tilak Varma lays fitness fears to bed with brisk knock in T20 World Cup warm-up vs USA

Tilak Varma emphatically dismissed fitness worries ahead of the T20 World Cup with an impactful knock in the warm-up fixture between India A and the USA at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai.

Returning to competitive cricket after being sidelined for a month, Varma showed no signs of rust and played some attractive shots to help India A post a mammoth total of 238/3 in 20 overs.

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Tilak was playing his first match since being out of action for nearly a month following an abdominal surgery for an injury suffered during the Ranji Trophy earlier in January.

He missed the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, but was named in the World Cup squad by the selectors. Tilak looked fluent on his return to competitive cricket against the USA side, which is pooled alongside India and faces the Asian giants in the opener on inaufural day of the tournament.

Batting at his usual No.3 spot, Tilak scored a fluent 38 runs off 24 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes. The left-hander also shared a crucial 113-run stand for the second wicket with opening batter Narayan Jagadeesan, who scored a sensational century.

After getting some much-needed gametime, Tilak will link up with the Indian squad on Tuesday, February 3, ahead of the team's opening match against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium on February 7.

Tilak's return to action and in the groove bodes well for Team India ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins in India and Sri Lanka on February 7.

The Hyderabad batter has emerged as one of the most consistent performers for India in the last 18 months

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The classy left-hander emerged as an unlikely hero for India in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan with a match-winning, unbeaten 69-run knock to help the Suryakumar Yadav-led side win the continental title at the Dubai International Stadium.

In 2024, he also scored two impressive centuries against South Africa in back-to-back away-from-home matches in Centurion and Johannesburg.