Shreyas Iyer set for return to competitive cricket; could feature in New Zealand ODIs

The national selectors of the Indian men's side are expected to announce the ODI squad for the New Zealand series today (January 3) later in the day. A few interesting decisions are in the offing, with Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Shami being the main two names that are hogging the headlines. However, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer could also be in the scheme of things as he plans for his comeback.

As per reports, Iyer is on track as far as rehabilitation goes and preliminary fitness tests conducted on January 2 indicate that the Mumbai batter is progressing swiftly. He is expected to participate in Mumbai's next Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Himachal Pradesh on January 6, following which the medical team will give their final evaluation.

Considering that the January 2 test indicated positive returns, Iyer could be named in the ODI squad against New Zealand. The team management and selectors always have the option to replace him if the Vijay Hazare Trophy game doesn't go as per plans. The ODI series starts on January 11.

After the Himachal Pradesh match, Iyer will have to undergo another full round of fitness tests before a final call is made on his medical status. It must also be noted that the three ODIs against New Zealand are the only 50-over games that India will play till June/July, meaning that there technically isn't a need to rush Iyer back into action.

The 31-year-old isn't a part of India's T20 World Cup squad and if not the New Zealand ODIs, his next big assignment will be IPL 2026 that starts from March 15. Iyer is a crucial cog of the Punjab Kings outfit whom he captained to their first IPL final 11 years during the 2025 season.