Left-handed batter Tilak Varma will feature for India A in one of their two T20 World Cup warm-up matches before joining the senior squad for the marquee tournament, the BCCI confirmed on Monday.
India A are scheduled to play warm-up fixtures against the USA and Namibia in Navi Mumbai and Bengaluru on Monday and Friday respectively. Batting all-rounder Ayush Badoni has been named captain of the India A side, with Tilak set to appear in one match before linking up with the main India squad.
The 23-year-old Tilak has been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru following lower abdominal surgery in Rajkot earlier this month. Although he was initially expected to be available for the final two T20 Internationals against New Zealand, selectors opted against rushing him back, keeping his readiness for the World Cup in focus. His inclusion for the warm-up comes after he participated in a simulation match at the CoE last Friday.
The India A squad features several capped internationals, including Riyan Parag, Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed and Mayank Yadav, along with emerging talents such as Naman Dhir, Ashutosh Sharma, Priyansh Arya, Gurjapneet Singh, Vipraj Nigam, Manav Suthar and Ashok Sharma. N Jagadeesan and Urvil Patel have been named as the wicketkeeping options.
The warm-up matches will also mark the return of fast bowler Mayank Yadav to competitive cricket. The pacer had been sidelined by a lower back stress fracture that ruled him out of the Lucknow Super Giants’ IPL 2025 campaign and subsequently underwent surgery in Christchurch, New Zealand, last year. Riyan Parag, meanwhile, has been included after recovering from a right shoulder injury at the CoE.
It is understood that M Venkatramanna will serve as head coach for the warm-up matches, with Vineet Saxena as batting coach and Avinash Khandelwal handling fielding duties.
India A squad for Men’s T20 World Cup warm-up matches: Ayush Badoni (c), Naman Dhir, Ashutosh Sharma, Priyansh Arya, N Jagadeesan (wk), Tilak Varma, Riyan Parag, Manav Suthar, Ashok Sharma, Urvil Patel (wk), Gurjapneet Singh, Vipraj Nigam, Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed and Mayank Yadav