Cricket has a way of throwing curveballs, but Shreyas Iyer's story is one of pure resilience that inspires me every time. I still vividly recall that gut-wrenching moment in October 2025 during the ODI against Australia when he suffered that spleen injury—it looked career-threatening, landing him in Sydney's ICU for a procedure. Fast-forward to January 6, 2026, and there he is, captaining Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at Jaipur's Jaipuria Vidhyalaya Ground, blasting 82 off 53 balls against Himachal Pradesh. Those ten fours and three sixes? Pure class, reminding me of why I fell in love with his elegant batting style back in his IPL days with Punjab Kings. Coming in at 55/2 after early wickets to Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan, he forged an 82-run stand with Musheer Khan in just 54 balls, then added 65 with Suryakumar Yadav.
Sure, he fell short of a ton to Kushal Pal, but the intent was electric. After 10 days of intense rehab at BCCI's Bengaluru center, getting the green light felt like a personal victory for fans like me who've battled minor injuries ourselves. Now, as vice-captain for the India-New Zealand ODI series starting January 11 in Vadodara, under Ajit Agarkar's selection, he's got to prove full fitness in more domestics. In my view, this comeback not only boosts India's middle order but shows that with grit, you can conquer setbacks. Iyer's journey is a testament to never giving up—can't wait to see him dominate internationally again.
TL;DR
- Shreyas Iyer scored 82 runs off 53 balls, including ten fours and three sixes, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Himachal Pradesh on January 6, 2026, at Jaipuria Vidhyalaya Ground in Jaipur.
- The innings marked Iyer's return after a spleen injury from the third ODI against Australia in October 2025, which required ICU admission in Sydney and a minor medical procedure.
- Iyer underwent 10 days of final rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru before receiving clearance from the medical team to play competitive cricket.
- As Mumbai's captain for league matches, Iyer batted at number three when the team was at 55/2, following dismissals of Yashasvi Jaiswal (15 off 18) and Sarfaraz Khan (21 off 10).
- He built an 82-run third-wicket partnership with Musheer Khan (73 off 51) in 54 deliveries, helping Mumbai recover from the early setback.
- Iyer then added 65 runs off 39 balls for the fourth wicket with Suryakumar Yadav, applying consistent pressure on Himachal Pradesh's bowlers.
- Iyer was dismissed for 82 by bowler Kushal Pal, narrowly missing a century in his comeback appearance.
- Iyer has been selected as vice-captain of India's ODI squad for the three-match series against New Zealand, starting January 11, 2026, in Vadodara.
- His inclusion in the national squad is subject to full fitness clearance, to be demonstrated in remaining Vijay Hazare Trophy fixtures.
- The selection was made by the Ajit Agarkar-led committee, highlighting Iyer's importance to the team despite the recent injury layoff.
