Shreyas Iyer Shines with 82 Runs in Comeback Match for Mumbai

Iyer's Impressive Return to Form

Jaipur, Jan 6: Shreyas Iyer made a remarkable comeback from injury, scoring a brisk 82 runs off 53 balls for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh during the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Jaipuria Vidhyalaya Ground.

Taking on the captaincy role after Shardul Thakur was ruled out due to injury, Iyer entered the game at a crucial juncture, with Mumbai struggling at 55 for 2 after losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan.

Iyer partnered with Musheer Khan to add 82 runs in just 54 balls, keeping the momentum alive. After Musheer was dismissed for a solid 73 off 51 balls, Iyer then formed a 65-run partnership with Suryakumar Yadav in just 39 balls, propelling Mumbai past the 200-run mark in the 33-over match, which was shortened due to heavy fog.

Iyer was dismissed in the 26th over, falling short of a century by 18 runs, having hit 10 fours and three sixes against the Himachal bowling attack. His efforts helped Mumbai post a total of 299/9 in 33 overs.

Iyer has been named vice-captain of the Indian team for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11 in Vadodara. However, his participation is contingent upon passing fitness tests following his performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Should Iyer clear these tests, the Mumbai Cricket Association will need to appoint a new captain for the knockout stages of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which commence on January 12 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Grounds in Bengaluru. Iyer had previously been sidelined due to a serious spleen injury incurred while attempting a catch against Australia’s Alex Carey during the third ODI in Sydney last October.