Left-handed batter Tilak Varma has been named in the India A squad for one of the team’s two Men’s T20 World Cup warm-up matches before linking up with the senior Indian team for the main tournament, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Monday (2).
India A will play two warm-up games ahead of the T20 World Cup, facing the United States in Navi Mumbai on Monday (2) and Namibia in Bengaluru on Friday. Tilak Varma, 23, is expected to feature in one of those matches before joining the senior squad for the marquee event.
Batting all-rounder Ayush Badoni has been appointed captain of the India A side for the warm-up fixtures. The squad has been selected to give match exposure to players returning from injury as well as those on the fringes of the national team.
Tilak has been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru after undergoing lower abdominal surgery in Rajkot earlier this month. He had been in contention to join the Indian team for the final two T20 Internationals against New Zealand but was not selected, with the team management opting to prioritize his fitness and availability for the World Cup.
His inclusion in the India A squad follows his participation in a simulation match at the Centre of Excellence last Friday, which helped assess his readiness for competitive cricket.
The India A squad includes several players with international experience, such as Riyan Parag, Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed, and fast bowler Mayank Yadav. The lineup is complemented by promising talents including Naman Dhir, Ashutosh Sharma, Priyansh Arya, Gurjapneet Singh, Vipraj Nigam, Manav Suthar, and Ashok Sharma. Wicketkeeping duties will be handled by N Jagadeesan and Urvil Patel.
The warm-up matches will also mark the return of Mayank Yadav to competitive cricket. The fast bowler had been sidelined after suffering a lower back stress fracture during the Lucknow Super Giants’ IPL 2025 campaign and later underwent surgery in Christchurch, New Zealand. Riyan Parag has also been included after recovering from a right shoulder injury at the Centre of Excellence.
IANS had earlier reported on January 31 that Ayush Badoni was set to lead the India A side, with Tilak Varma, Mayank Yadav, and Riyan Parag expected to be part of the squad.
It is understood that M. Venkatramanna will serve as head coach for India A during the warm-up games. Vineet Saxena has been named batting coach, while Avinash Khandelwal will take charge as fielding coach.
The warm-up fixtures are expected to play a key role in finalizing preparations as India fine-tunes its squad ahead of the T20 World Cup.
