This youngster was wanted by Gautam Gambhir for the Sri Lankan tour. Report Explains His Absence

Tilak Varma was injured and missed the T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka, which Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir had wanted him to play in, the Times of India said. Due to a hand injury, Tilak has not played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2024. According to the source, Riyan Parag, who was named in the teams for both formats, benefited greatly from his absence. "TOI has learnt that Riyan Parag's selection for both the white-ball squads for the Sri Lanka tour was helped by the fact that middle-order batsman Tilak Varma is currently injured," according to the Times of India.

According to a person with knowledge of the happenings, Parag is regarded highly by the Times of India for his talent and his bowling and fielding skills also played a massive role in his selection for the Sri Lanka tour.

"Parag is a very gifted player who has raised his level of enthusiasm toward the game. Right now, he wants to remain at the wicket. He is a great fielder and can bowl fairly well, which increases his worth. The insider told Times of India that the selectors wanted to develop him for the future.

"At the end of the game, he can bowl slower balls, yorkers, and other variations." He's therefore a solid choice for white-ball cricket," the source continued.
Gambhir's first job as the head coach of the Indian cricket team will be the Twenty20 International Series against Sri Lanka. The group will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, who defeated Hardik Pandya in the competition to replace the retired Rohit Sharma as the Indian cricket team T20I captain.