New Delhi: Left-handed batter Tilak Varma will play for India A in one of their two Men’s T20 World Cup warm-up matches before joining the senior Indian squad for the main tournament, the BCCI announced on Monday. India A is set to face USA and Namibia in warm-up games scheduled in Navi Mumbai and Bengaluru on Monday and Friday, respectively.
Ayush Badoni has been appointed India A captain, with Varma expected to participate in one game before linking up with the senior team. The 23-year-old has been training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru as part of his rehabilitation following lower abdominal surgery in Rajkot earlier this month.
Varma was initially considered for India’s final two T20Is against New Zealand but was rested to ensure his fitness for the T20 World Cup. He recently played a simulation match at the CoE to assess his readiness.
The India A squad also features experienced players such as Riyan Parag, Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed, and Mayank Yadav, along with promising talent 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.
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The warm-up matches will also mark Mayank Yadav’s return after recovering from a lower back stress fracture, which had kept him out of the Lucknow Super Giants’ IPL 2025 campaign and required surgery in Christchurch, New Zealand. Riyan Parag returns to action following a right shoulder injury treated at the CoE.
Earlier reports from January 31 indicated that Badoni would captain India A, with Tilak, Mayank, and Riyan also expected to feature. M Venkatramanna will serve as head coach for the warm-up matches, supported by Vineet Saxena as batting coach and Avinash Khandelwal as fielding coach.
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, Mayank Yadav