Fit-again Shreyas Iyer to lead Mumbai in remainder of Vijay Hazare Trophy
India batter Shreyas Iyer has been named Mumbai’s captain for the remainder of the Vijay Hazare Trophy after regular skipper Shardul Thakur was ruled out due to an injury. The appointment marks Iyer’s return to competitive cricket following a long injury layoff after he suffered a spleen laceration with internal bleeding during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney in October 2025.
Shreyas replaces injured Shardul Thakur
Mumbai chief selector Sanjay Patil confirmed the captaincy change on Monday, saying Thakur has been advised to rest but did not specify the nature of his injury.
“Shardul has suffered an injury and has been advised to rest. We have other players such as Shivam Dube and Suryakumar Yadav available, and Shreyas Iyer has been named the Mumbai captain for remaining matches,” Patil told PTI.
MCA secretary Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar said in a release: “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.”
Iyer’s comeback after spleen injury
Iyer is making his return after a serious injury that kept him out of action for several months. The batter suffered a spleen laceration with internal bleeding during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney in October 2025, forcing him to undergo treatment and rehabilitation before being cleared to play.
With his availability subject to fitness, Iyer, who is also the designated vice-captain for India in ODIs, was named in the three-match series against New Zealand starting in Vadodara on January 11. The other two ODIs will be played on January 14 at Rajkot and January 18 at Indore.
Iyer to lead Mumbai in Group C matches
Iyer will lead Mumbai in their Group C match against Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, followed by the contest against Punjab on January 8. The Vijay Hazare Trophy’s knockout matches will be played at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from January 12-18.
Mumbai will be hoping Iyer’s experience and leadership can help them navigate the business end of the tournament. His return adds significant depth to Mumbai’s batting lineup, which also features the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shivam Dube, and Suryakumar Yadav.
Iyer’s appointment as captain is also a boost to his confidence ahead of the New Zealand ODI series, where he will be keen to prove his fitness and stake his claim for a regular spot in India’s limited-overs setup.