India’s ODI vice-captain and middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, who was touted for a return from the spleen injury he suffered during the Australia series, will now have to wait longer. The Shreyas Iyer return date faced a setback since he failed to get a clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), having lost close to 6kgs due to the injury.
However, as things stand, Iyer is batting in the nets without any discomfort but his loss in weight and muscle mass means he will have to stay at the CoE for at least another week.
Furthermore, the drop in muscle mass has pushed his strength below optimum levels and although Shreyas Iyer has regained some of it now, a lot of attention will be paid to building it in the coming week.
A BCCI official, privy to the development, confirmed to TOI,
“There is no problem with his batting but he lost around six kgs after the injury in Australia. While he has regained some weight, there has been a drop in muscle mass which has further affected his optimum strength levels. The medical team will not be taking any chances because he is a very important player in the ODI set up and his complete recovery is of utmost importance right now. The selectors and management will be conveyed about his present situation before they meet to pick team for New Zealand ODIs.”
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For the unversed, Iyer was in line for making a comeback in the later stages of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 (VHT) with an eye on the IND vs NZ series early next year in January.
Shreyas Iyer return date was previously set for the January 3 and January 6 games in the VHT 2025-26 followed by the three-match IND vs NZ ODI series, starting from January 11. Now, given the current situation, Iyer won’t be getting a clearance from the CoE anytime before January 9, two days prior to the NZ series and three days before knockouts of the VHT.
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