Big boost for India as Shreyas Iyer gets BCCI fitness clearance for New Zealand ODIs

Shreyas Iyer has been confirmed fit for international cricket after receiving approval from the Board of Control for Cricket at the India Center of Excellence (CoE), paving the way for his comeback in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. The 31-year-old player was included in India’s squad subject to fitness; because the selectors and medical staff were keen to keep a close eye on his readiness due to a long injury. His return depended on how well his body responded to competitive cricket in the domestic season, especially in match conditions.

Iyer played for Mumbai in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. Iyer, who led the team in the 4th over against Himachal Pradesh, played a smooth knock of 82 runs off 53 balls. More importantly, he showed no signs of discomfort during or after the shots, alleviating concerns about his workload and physical condition.

Initially, Iyer was expected to complete Mumbai’s next match against Punjab on January 8 before taking official leave. However, the CoE’s medical staff were happy with his recovery and fitness for the match and chose to give him leave earlier than planned.

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Iyer had been out of action since October last year due to a spleen injury he suffered during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney. This injury required hospitalization and kept him out of action for nearly three months, disrupting his international momentum and ruling him out of selection during that time.

With his return, Iyer is set to rejoin the middle order and take on the role of India’s vice-captain. In his absence, Ruturaj Gaikwad was given a chance to be number 4 and he took advantage of it by scoring his maiden ODI hundred in Raipur. However, Iyer’s availability is likely to push Gaikwad to the bottom of the batting order or drop him out of the playing XI.

Although the ODI series against New Zealand is not of huge importance on its own, Iyer’s return is a significant advantage for India’s 50-over strategy. A stable middle-order has been a crucial asset for the team and if Iyer can get back to his best form quickly, it could pay significant dividends over time, given India’s established track record of triumphing in major tournaments.

India’s ODI squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC)*, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal

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