NEW DELHI: India on Saturday announced their squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand. Batter Shreyas Iyer’s return to the Indian ODI squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand has come as a relief to fans, but it comes with an important condition. The right-handed batsman has been named in the 15-man squad and will also serve as vice-captain, but his place in the playing group is subject to a final fitness check by BCCI’s Center of Excellence (COE).
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The three-match ODI series begins on January 11 in Vadodara, followed by matches in Rajkot on January 14 and Indore on January 18. India will be led by Shubman Gill, who also returns as ODI captain after missing the South Africa series due to injury. If Shreyas Iyer is cleared completely, the New Zealand series could see the return of India’s ODI captain and vice-captain at the same time.Iyer is recovering from a serious abdominal injury sustained during the ODI series against Australia in October last year. The injury forced him to miss several matches, including the South Africa series and domestic tournaments. Since then, he has been working hard on his rehabilitation and recently completed match simulations at the BCCI Center of Excellence.Before his injury, Iyer was an important part of India’s middle order. He brought stability at No.4 and had a strong ODI record, making him a key player in India’s plans.However, the team management is cautious. They don’t want to rush back and risk another failure. With the big tournaments ahead, fitness is a top priority. For now, Iyer is back in the squad but all eyes will be on the final medical clearance which will decide if he takes the field against New Zealand.
