India’s ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is all set to make his long-awaited return to competitive cricket through the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT), with the Mumbai batter scheduled to feature in the remaining league matches for his state side on January 6 and January 8. The development comes after Iyer was named in India’s squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting January 11, although his international return remains subject to final fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.
Alongside Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube will also turn out for Mumbai in the same fixtures, strengthening an already star-studded line-up as the domestic season reaches its business end. Mumbai are second on the Elite Group C table in VHT and are favourites to qualify for the knockouts. They play Himachal Pradesh and Punjab next on January 6 and January 8, respectively.
Shreyas Iyer’s comeback route: VHT matches
Iyer has not played a competitive match since October, when he suffered a spleen laceration and internal bleeding while fielding during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney. The injury forced him into hospital and sidelined him for over two months, during which he lost nearly six kilograms and went through a tightly monitored rehabilitation programme.
According to a BCCI official quoted by PTI, Iyer successfully completed his first 50-over Return to Play (RTP) match simulation on January 2 at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The second and decisive RTP test will be Mumbai’s Vijay Hazare Trophy clash against Himachal Pradesh on January 6, which will determine whether he receives final clearance for the New Zealand ODIs.
Now, the development that he, alongside Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube, will turn up for two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches came from a Times of India report.
If Iyer clears the second RTP match without discomfort, he will rejoin the national side for the New Zealand series beginning January 11. India play three ODIs followed by five T20Is between January 11 and January 31. That means, he won’t play the knockout stages if and when Mumbai qualify for the next stage. Yashasvi Jaiswal won’t be available as well, as he is also part of India’s ODI squad for the New Zealand series.
Mumbai’s final two Vijay Hazare matches will now feature Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who returned from a stomach infection to play against Goa on December 31. For Mumbai, it is the perfect boost.
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