Mumbai batter Shreyas Iyer has returned to competitive cricket after recovering from a spleen injury sustained in October 2025 against Australia. On January 6, he marked his comeback by scoring 82 off 53 balls against Himachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, striking 10 fours and three sixes.

Iyer is set to feature in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, but his form and experience make him a viable option for the T20Is as well. Despite being omitted from the Asia Cup 2025 squad, he impressed in IPL 2025 with Punjab Kings, scoring 604 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. His T20I record includes 51 matches, 1,104 runs, and eight fifties, making him a natural fit for Tilak’s role.