Shreyas Iyer Cleared to Join Indian Squad for Upcoming ODI Series Against New Zealand
Shreyas Iyer's Return to the Indian Squad
Shreyas Iyer, a prominent figure in India's middle-order batting lineup, has been given the green light to rejoin the national team for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, commencing January 11, as reported by a sports news outlet on Thursday.
From Injury to Impressive Comeback
Earlier this month, although Iyer was included in the ODI roster for the series against New Zealand, it was noted that his participation hinged on his fitness and approval from the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, following his recovery from a spleen injury incurred during the Australian tour.
Currently, Iyer is leading Mumbai in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) and has played two matches, showing promising form ahead of the ODIs against New Zealand.
As India's ODI vice-captain, Iyer suffered a spleen injury while executing a remarkable diving catch during the third ODI in Sydney last October. He was immediately taken to the hospital due to internal bleeding, and tests later confirmed a spleen laceration. This injury sidelined him from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and the home ODIs against South Africa.
In preparation for the ODIs against New Zealand, Iyer has demonstrated good form, scoring 82 and 45 in the VHT, while captaining Mumbai in the absence of Shardul Thakur, who is out due to injury.
Series Set to Begin in Vadodara
Most of the Indian team, set to face New Zealand in the ODIs, has arrived in Vadodara for the first match on January 7. This will mark the region's first men's international match in 15 years, with the Kotambi Stadium previously hosting women's 50-over games and the Women's Premier League (WPL).
Iyer's Stellar ODI Record
In 2025, Iyer had an impressive run in ODIs, accumulating 496 runs in 11 matches at an average of 49.60 and a strike rate exceeding 89, including five half-centuries. He was the leading run-scorer for India during their ICC Champions Trophy title-winning campaign, amassing 243 runs in five matches, with two fifties.
Currently, he is just 83 runs away from reaching 3,000 ODI runs, having scored 2,917 runs in 73 matches and 67 innings at an average of 47.81, which includes five centuries and 23 fifties.
India's ODI Squad for New Zealand Series
The Indian ODI squad for the series includes: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.