India batter Shreyas Iyer has been on the sidelines since October when he sustained an injury during the third ODI of the series against Australia. He had picked up the injury while fielding and was taken off the field soon after. Later on, the BCCI had confirmed that he had suffered a lacertation of the spleen and was even taken to the hospital at one stage as things looked very serious. Shreyas was eventually discharged a few days later and has been undergoing the rehabilitation process ever since.
Sports Tak has learned that the 31-year-old had reported to BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) on December 25, 2025 and has showed significant improvement in fitness since his arrival. He successfully completed successfullv completed four high-intensity skill sessions encompassing both batting and fielding.
Shreyas to return in ODIs against NZ
Based on his current physical status, he is scheduled to undertake two match-simulation sessions on 2nd and 5th January, 2026 before obtaining clearance for the white-ball formats. This can see Shreyas make his return to the international stage with India's upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand that will commence from January 11.
It would be a big boost for Team India if Shreyas makes his return in the one-day assignment against New Zealand. He was in top form in the format when he unfortunately encountered the serious injury. The batter will be eager to make a strong return if he gets the chance to do so.
Massive hype for IND vs NZ
Meanwhile, the first match of the ODI series between India and New Zealand will be played at the Vadodara International Stadium. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli set to be in action once again, the craze for the series has reached unprecedented heights. This was evidenced by the ticket sales for the first ODI which reportedly got sold out within just eight minutes. Both the players are currently in top form when it comes to the format and they showcased this with their recent appearances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Both Rohit and Virat registered hundreds in the opening round of the tournament. The former played a match-winning knock of 155 for Mumbai in their clash against Sikkim while the latter had steered Delhi to victory with a phenomenal innings of 131 against Andhra Pradesh. It remains to be seen if the duo will be able to deliver against the Black Caps at home.