Shreyas Iyer cleared to play New Zealand ODIs: Details here
What's the story
Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer has been given the green light to return to competitive cricket, reported The Times of India. The star batter has not played any professional match since October 25 due to an abdominal injury. He checked into the Board of Control for Cricket in India's Centre of Excellence (CoE) on December 25 and has now passed the fitness assessment. He will stay in Bengaluru until December 30 before leaving for further commitments.
Comeback strategy
Preparation for ODI comeback
Before returning to the ODI format, Iyer will play two matches in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), the 50-over competition. The 31-year-old will join Mumbai's squad in Jaipur on January 2 and is likely to play against Maharashtra (January 3) and Himachal Pradesh (January 6). He will skip the last group-stage match against Punjab on January 8 to join India's camp for the New Zealand ODI series.
Training update
Net sessions and potential squad inclusion
Iyer started batting in the nets a few days ago. He was seen sporting protective gear during his net session at CoE. An official from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) told TOI, "We are hearing positive developments around Shreyas. He is very likely to play two games for Mumbai on January 3 and January 6."
Prospects
Why Iyer missed ODI action
Iyer's last appearance was during the ODI series against Australia in October. A blunt injury to his abdomen had kept him out of action for the entire Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and ODIs against South Africa. His return is a major boost for India, allowing the management to finalize plans for future tournaments. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in top form, Iyer's return to No. 4 will bolster the middle order.
Squad impact
India to field full-strength batting order
Due to the injury layoff, Iyer missed India's last ODI series against South Africa at home, with Ruturaj Gaikwad replacing him at No. 4. For the New Zealand ODIs, the former is expected to return to his original spot. ODI skipper Shubman Gill and all-rounder Hardik Pandya are also expected to return after missing the South Africa series.
Information
How Iyer fared in 2025
Iyer has been India's mainstay ODI batter. He was named vice-captain of the side in October 2025. In 2025, Iyer featured in 11 matches (10 innings) and scored 496 runs at 49.60. He smashed 5 fifties with the best score of 79.