In what comes as a big boost for India's ODI squad, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer has reportedly cleared the fitness test before the upcoming series against New Zealand. The three-match series starts on Sunday (January 11) in Vadodara. Iyer was named in the ODI squad with his selection subject to clearance from the medical staff.
Iyer's availability was sealed once he cleared the preliminary fitness tests on January 2 and then followed it up with participation in two Vijay Hazare Trophy fixtures. The 31-year-old still had to clear the mandatory fitness test to ensure his availability officially. He is expected to take the customary no.4 spot in the batting order.
Heading into the New Zealand series, Iyer needs 83 more runs to get to 3000 ODI runs. If he gets there in these three games, Iyer will become the fastest Indian to get to the landmark, beating Shikhar Dhawan who took 72 innings to reach the landmark. Currently, Iyer has only batted in 67 innings in 50-over cricket.
For the record, Virat Kohli (75 innings) and KL Rahul (78 innings) are the other Indians to have reached this landmark quickly. Iyer's recent form suggests that he is on track to claiming the 'fastest Indian' tag comfortably. The Mumbai batter had a strong 2025 with 496 runs at an average of 49.60 and strike rate of 89.53, impressive numbers as most of the pitches were tricky.
A freak injury while taking an excellent catch during the Adelaide ODI against Australia saw Iyer out of action for a while. What seemed like a regular accident on the field nearly turned fatal for India's no.4 batter. Spleen injuries take time to recover from and to Iyer's credit, he has completed the rehab process smoothly.
