India’s middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer made a strong comeback from injury by scoring 82 runs off 53 balls for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh at the Jaipuria Vidhyalaya Ground in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. Leading the team in place of the injured Shardul Thakur, Iyer came in to bat when Mumbai was struggling at 55 for 2 after losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan.
Partnering with Musheer Khan, Iyer added 82 runs in 54 balls to stabilize the innings. Following Musheer’s dismissal for a quick 73 off 51 balls, Iyer then built a 65-run partnership in 39 balls with Suryakumar Yadav, helping Mumbai surpass the 200-run mark in the 33-over match, which was shortened due to a delayed start caused by dense fog.
Despite missing out on a century by just 18 runs, Iyer’s aggressive knock, comprising 10 fours and three sixes, guided Mumbai to a total of 299/9 in 33 overs against Himachal Pradesh’s bowling attack. He has been named the vice-captain of the Indian squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, subject to fitness clearance post his participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
If Iyer passes the fitness tests, a new captain will be appointed by the Mumbai Cricket Association for the Vijay Hazare Trophy knockout matches starting on January 12 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Grounds in Bengaluru. Iyer had been sidelined due to a serious spleen injury sustained while fielding in a match against Australia in October last year.
