Will Shreyas Iyer miss New Zealand ODI series? Details here
31 Dec 2025

In a major blow to the Indian cricket team, ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer's much-awaited return has been yet again delayed.

The batter has not received the required clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), delaying his return by at least a week.

Despite batting without any discomfort, rapid weight loss owing to an abdominal injury has affected his strength levels, according to reports.

Weight loss leads to muscle mass reduction
Health impact

Iyer has lost around six kilograms due to the injury he sustained in Australia. Although he has recovered, the loss in muscle mass has affected his strength levels.

A BCCI official told The Times of India, "There is no problem with his batting, but he lost around six kgs after the injury in Australia."

The official added that while Iyer has regained some weight, a drop in muscle mass has further impacted his optimum strength levels.

Fitness tests and rehabilitation progress
Recovery journey

Iyer checked into the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) on December 25. It was earlier reported that he passed the fitness assessment for his return.

He was supposed to stay in Bengaluru until December 30 before leaving for further commitments.

It remains to be seen if Iyer will fully recover ahead of the New Zealand ODI series, starting January 11.

Why Iyer missed ODI action
Injury details

Iyer's last appearance was during the ODI series against Australia in October Down Under.

A blunt injury to his abdomen had kept him out of action for the entire Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and ODIs against South Africa.

After recovering from the same, Iyer was hoping to play two matches of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy before the New Zealand series. However, this seems unlikely at the moment.

How Iyer fared in 2025
Fact

Iyer has been India's mainstay ODI batter. He was named vice-captain of the side in October 2025. In 2025, Iyer featured in 11 matches (10 innings) and scored 496 runs at 49.60. He smashed 5 fifties with the best score of 79.