Tilak Varma undergoes emergency surgery, T20 WC in doubt

India's middle order batter Tilak Varma underwent emergency surgery in Rajkot after complaining of severe abdominal pain while playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Hyderabad.

Varma underwent surgery for testicular torsion, which has ruled him out of the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting in Nagpur on January 21.

The 23-year-old left-hander is also a major doubt for the T20 World Cup starting next month with the recovery time expected to be around 3-4 weeks. India play their opening match against USA on February 7.

He complained of pain in his abdomen after having breakfast on Wednesday morning following which he was immediately taken to a hospital.

'Tilak faced severe pain in his abdomen today (Wednesday). He was rushed to a hospital in Rajkot, where various scans were done, and reports were sent to doctors at the COE,' a BCCI source told The Indian Express.

"He

was immediately rushed to the Gokul Hospital, where scans diagnosed him with testicular torsion, and doctors advised immediate surgery. Tilak subsequently underwent successful surgery yesterday and is now doing well. He will be out of the hospital today," Saurashtra Cricket Association president Jaydev Shah told The Times Of India.

Interestingly, India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is unlikely to be picked as a replacement for Varma for the New Zealand T20I series as the selectors and the team management are not keen on recalling him at this stage.

Varma has become a key member of the Indian batting line-up in T20 Internationals. He stroked a match-winning 69 not out off 53 balls to steer India to a famous five-wicket victory against Pakistan in the Asia Cup final in September last year.

He boasts of an impressive record in T20 Internationals, having scored 1183 runs in 40 matches, averaging 49.29 at a strike rate of 144.09, with two centuries and six fifties.