New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) India batter Tilak Varma has been ruled out of the first three T20Is against New Zealand after undergoing surgery for an abdominal issue in Rajkot, said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday.

IANS had previously reported that Varma, 23, underwent an emergency surgery after scans suggested the need for the same at a super-speciality hospital in Rajkot on Wednesday evening, after experiencing acute pain in his abdominal region in the morning.

Varma’s availability for the remaining two matches will be assessed based on his progress during the return-to-training and skill phases. “He was discharged from the hospital on Thursday morning and is scheduled to fly back to Hyderabad on Friday. He is currently stable and progressing well.

“Tilak will resume physical training and gradually return to skill-based activities once his symptoms have fully resolved and wound healing is satisfactory. He is ruled out of the first three T20Is against New Zealand. His availability for the remaining two matches will be assessed based on his progress during the return-to-training and skill phases,” BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said in the statement.

Varma’s recovery timeline leaves him doubtful for India’s T20 World Cup opener against the United States of America (USA) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7, with further group fixtures scheduled against Namibia (February 12, Pakistan (February 15), and the Netherlands (February 18).

Varma has been a key figure in India's T20I setup, amassing 1,183 runs in 37 innings at an average of 49.29 with a strike rate of 144.09. He has scored two centuries and six half-centuries in the format. His absence could see India captain Suryakumar Yadav bat at the number three position in the batting line-up.

India have yet to announce a replacement for Varma for the first three T20Is against New Zealand, to be played in Nagpur, Raipur, and Guwahati on January 21, 23, and 25. The last two T20Is will be played in Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram on January 28 and 31.

--IANS

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