Shreyas Iyer Likely To Return For Sri Lanka ODIs; Zimbabwe T20Is Squad Announcement Imminent

Shreyas Iyer is poised to make his return to the Indian cricket team in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, likely scheduled for the latter half of July. This series could mark a significant comeback for Iyer, who has been out of the national team due to a recurring lower back issue.

Gautam Gambhir's anticipated appointment as India's head coach might offer a fresh opportunity for Iyer. Gambhir, who mentored Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their IPL 2024 title win, could play a pivotal role in Iyer's resurgence. The KKR captain's leadership was instrumental in their triumph, and Gambhir's guidance could further bolster his international career.

While Iyer could also be considered for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe starting on July 5, his more realistic chance of making a comeback lies in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. His exclusion from BCCI's central contracts, along with Ishan Kishan, was attributed to his reluctance to participate in Ranji Trophy matches.

Injury Concerns and Performance

Iyer has consistently maintained that his lower back issue kept him out of action, despite playing in the Ranji Trophy final and scoring 90-plus runs. Currently, several young IPL performers are training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Training Camp at NCA

A BCCI source revealed that Shreyas is not currently at NCA. The camp includes players like Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Mayank Yadav, Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Yash Dayal. Some of these players are expected to be selected for the Zimbabwe T20Is.

ODI Series Prospects

The source also mentioned that Shreyas is likely to travel for the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka. His last ODI performance was a half-century (52) against South Africa. With over 500 runs (530) in the World Cup and an average close to 50, his selection seems justified.

Focus on ODIs and Tests

Seniors like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah will now concentrate on ODIs and Tests for the remainder of the season. The schedule includes nine WTC Tests between September 2024 and January 2025, featuring home games against Bangladesh and New Zealand and away matches against Australia.

Upcoming Fixtures

The marquee ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan is also on the horizon. New players are expected to feature in T20Is, including IPL stars like Rinku Singh, Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan, and Khaleel Ahmed. If Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav are not rested, they are likely to be named captain and vice-captain for the Zimbabwe tour.

(With Input From PTI)