IND vs NZ: Will Shreyas Iyer Return for ODI Series Against New Zealand? Here’s the Update

Shreyas Iyer, sidelined by a spleen injury, has begun rehab at the BCCI CoE. Missing the South Africa ODI series, he aims to return for the New Zealand ODIs, with his fitness in the Vijay Hazare Trophy key to India’s middle-order stability.

Team India ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer has been out of action since October after sustaining a spleen injury in his abdomen during the third and final ODI of the series against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Iyer sustained an abdominal injury while taking a difficult catch and received immediate medical attention before heading to Sydney Hospital for further assessment of his injury.

Iyer was reportedly admitted to the ICU, where he was under observation by a team of doctors and the BCCI medical team due to internal bleeding. The spleen injury was quickly detected and treated, and he spent a week in the hospital before being discharged. The 31-year-old continued his recovery in Sydney for a few more days before returning home.

Due to the injury, Shreyas Iyer missed the ODI series against South Africa. He is not part of the T20I plans and took a six-month break from red-ball cricket to manage recurring back issues and stiffness, focusing on building endurance and improving fitness, as confirmed by the BCCI. In the absence of Iyer in the three-match ODI series against the Proteas, Ruturaj Gaikwad occupied the No.4 slot and scored a century in the second match.

Shreyas Iyer Begins Recovery at the CoE

After a lengthy break from competitive cricket due to a spleen injury, Shreyas Iyer has returned to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) for recovery ahead of his comeback. As per the report by the Times of India (TOI), the Punjab Kings skipper is to begin his recovery with gym and some net sessions at the CoE, which is currently hosting Delhi’s matches of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. It was also the venue where Virat Kohli made a brilliant comeback to VHT with a 131-run knock against Andhra.

The report further suggests that the 31-year-old had some batting practice in Mumbai, his home city, before travelling to Bengaluru for further training and recovery process. The source close to the BCCI stated that Shreyas Iyer did not face any discomfort or pain during the batting session in Mumbai, sending a positive signal following recovery from spleen surgery.

“Shreyas Iyer had a very unfortunate injury in Australia, and it made him a lot of competitive cricket. The good sign is that he is pain-free at the moment and batted without any trouble in Mumbai on Wednesday,” the BCCI told the TOI.

Shreyas played two matches in the three-match ODI series against Australia. In the series opener, Iyer was dismissed for just 11 runs at Optus Stadium in Perth. However, India's ODI vice-captain made a strong comeback with a 61-run innings and a 118-run partnership with former captain Rohit Sharma (73*) at Adelaide Oval.

Will Shreyas Iyer make a Comeback in the New Zealand ODI Series?

As Shreyas Iyer reportedly began his recovery and rehabilitation at the BCCI CoE, the question is whether he will make a comeback for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, which will begin on January 11.

As per the BCCI, Iyer is expected to make an early return rather than be sidelined for an extended period, with the possibility of making a comeback to competitive cricket in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai to prove his match fitness before the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.

“India next play New Zealand, and while that could still be touch and go, a return in the later stages of the Vijay Hazare Trophy can't be ruled out at this stage,” the BCCI source told the TOI.

With Shreyas Iyer reportedly to spend the next ‘four to six days’ at the BCCI CoE, it is unlikely that he would feature in Mumbai’s third match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Chhattisgarh at the Jaipuriya Vidhyalaya Ground on December 29. However, Iyer may play a few VHT matches before the India squad announcement for the ODIs against New Zealand, which will likely take place in the first week of January.

No Signs of Red Flags in Early Recovery Process

According to the report by the TOI, the BCCI source is relieved that Shreyas Iyer did not show any signs of red flags during the gym sessions, and his visit to the CoE will be used to determine the timeline of his return to action.

“He is already back to regular training in the gym. So no red flags there at the moment but all depends on the CoE assessment,” the BCCI source said.

“Like with every player, he won't be rushed back, but efforts will be directed towards his speedy return,” the source added.

If Shreyas Iyer regains his fitness in time before the ODI series against New Zealand, it will be a big boost for Team India management as he is a crucial No.4 batter for the side and his presence is vital for the middle order, offering stability and experience in crucial ODI encounters.