World Cup squads are supposed to feel final. Pick your best group, settle the roles, move on. But cricket doesn’t work like that — not when injuries show up at the worst possible time.
India’s current worry revolves around Tilak Varma, who’s been in terrific touch and looked set for a key middle-order role. The problem is the timing: Tilak has reportedly undergone testicular torsion surgery, and the usual recovery period is around 3–5 weeks. With the T20 World Cup beginning in roughly four weeks, it creates a nervous little window where India may not have the luxury of waiting right up to the deadline.
If Tilak isn’t 100% — not “available on paper”, but genuinely match-ready — India may have to act. And that’s where Shreyas Iyer suddenly becomes a name worth taking seriously again.
Tilak’s Absence Would Hurt — Because He Was Solving a Real Problem
Tilak isn’t just another batter in decent form. He’s the kind of middle-order option India have been chasing for years: calm under pressure, able to bat through tricky phases, and still capable of finishing with a punch. In T20 tournaments, that combination matters. Lose him, and you don’t just lose runs — you lose balance.
And balance is everything in a World Cup lineup.
Why Shreyas Iyer Makes Cricketing Sense
This isn’t a “big name, bring him back” situation. If India need a replacement, they’ll want someone who can walk into a high-pressure game and immediately look like he belongs. Shreyas has that advantage: he’s been around long enough, he’s played enough intense matches, and he understands what international pressure feels like.
More importantly, his skill-set fits a very specific gap.
He can bully spin — which is gold in the middle overs
There’s a reason teams plan their chokehold around overs 7 to 15. If you win the middle overs, you control the match. Shreyas is one of the few Indian batters who doesn’t just “manage” spin — he attacks it. He picks length early, uses his feet when needed, and has the strength to clear the infield without slogging.
In a World Cup where teams will absolutely load up on spin and match-ups, that’s not a luxury — it’s a weapon.
He brings leadership without demanding the spotlight
Even if he isn’t captaining, Shreyas adds something that’s hard to measure: on-field composure. In tournament cricket, one messy over can spiral. Having another experienced voice in the circle helps — field placements, bowling plans, reading the pitch, reading the moment. That stuff doesn’t show up in scorecards, but teams feel it.
His IPL 2025 Form Is a Loud Argument
If this was a debate a year ago, you could’ve asked: “Is he still explosive enough for T20s?”
IPL 2025 answered that.
Shreyas Iyer’s numbers were outstanding:
- 604 runs
- 50.33 average
- 175 strike rate
That’s not a player scraping by. That’s a player dominating.
A 175 strike rate with a 50+ average tells you he wasn’t just cashing in during dead games — he was controlling chases, setting totals, and shifting momentum fast. Those are World Cup innings.
India Don’t Need to Panic — They Just Need to Be Practical
Let’s be clear: if Tilak misses out, it’s a blow. India would lose a left-hander in form and a batter who was tailor-made for modern T20 tempo.
But if the situation forces a change, India aren’t stuck with a compromise option. Shreyas Iyer is an able replacement, and right now, he looks ready — form-wise and mindset-wise.
So no, it wouldn’t be “tension” time for Team India. It would simply be one of those World Cup realities: plans change, squads adjust, and someone else grabs the opportunity.
And if that someone is Shreyas, India might not just cover Tilak’s absence — they might even gain a different kind of edge.
