Shreyas Iyer is set to make a highly anticipated return to competitive cricket after a three-month layoff, and he will do so as Mumbai’s captain for the remainder of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) confirmed on Monday that Iyer will replace Shardul Thakur as skipper, with the latter ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
The right-handed batter is expected to lead Mumbai when they face Himachal Pradesh at the Jaipura Vidyalaya Ground in Jaipur on Tuesday, January 6. This match will mark Iyer’s first competitive appearance since sustaining a spleen injury during India’s tour of Australia, an incident that sidelined him for an extended period.
Iyer’s injury was more serious than initially anticipated. He was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Sydney and underwent a minor medical procedure, raising concerns about his immediate cricketing future. Since then, the 30-year-old has followed a carefully monitored rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the BCCI medical team.
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After completing the final phase of his recovery, Iyer spent 10 days at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he gradually returned to full training. As part of the Board’s Return to Play (RTP) protocol, he featured in a warm-up match at the Centre of Excellence on January 2, which proved crucial in assessing his match readiness. Following that outing, he received official clearance to resume competitive cricket.
Shreyas Iyer appointed Mumbai captain for remaining league stage Vijay Hazare Trophy matches
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In a statement, the MCA confirmed the leadership change, saying, “Shreyas Iyer will take over the leadership responsibilities in place of Shardul Thakur, who has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury and is currently unavailable for selection.”
Mumbai’s squad has also been boosted by the availability of Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube, adding experience and firepower ahead of the business end of the tournament. Mumbai are scheduled to play its final league fixture against Punjab on January 8, and Iyer is expected to feature in that contest as well.
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Beyond domestic cricket, Iyer has also been named vice-captain of India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, starting January 11 in Vadodara. However, his place in the national side remains subject to demonstrating full match fitness in the remaining Vijay Hazare Trophy games before linking up with the Indian team.
