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Shreyas Iyer dodged a near-miss with a fan's dog at the airport, adding a light-hearted twist to his eagerly awaited ODI comeback against New Zealand.
Fresh off two months sidelined by a spleen injury from Australia, Iyer was mobbed by fans upon arrival. A viral clip shows him cheerfully signing autographs when a supporter approached with a pet dog.
Spotting the furry friend, Iyer leaned in to pet it lovingly, only for the dog to snap playfully, forcing him to pull back with a surprised grin. Fans memed it instantly: "Dog tried to snatch Sarpanch saab!" and "Protect him at all costs. "
Kalesh between Shreyas Iyer & Dogesh bhai 🤯@gharkekalesh pic.twitter.com/KaVM9jZFf5
- Kushal Sharma (@KushalSharma_89) January 10, 2026
Iyer proved his fitness in Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai, captaining from No.
4. Against Himachal Pradesh, he smashed 82 off 53-fluent and pain-free. In the next game vs. Punjab (Jan 8), he added 45 off 34 in a thrilling one-run chase loss while targeting 217. BCCI's National Cricket Academy cleared him early, confirming readiness for white-ball duties.
His return slots him back as vice-captain and middle-order anchor. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who grabbed his maiden ODI ton at No. 4 during Iyer's absence (e.g., in Raipur), makes way. Shubman Gill's inclusion also benches Yashasvi Jaiswal post his SA series century. The three-match ODI series kicks off January 11 in Vadodara vs. New Zealand.
With Tilak Varma's availabability for the New Zealand T20Is in doubt, Shreyas may also get a break in that side as well against the Blackcaps. Iyer has been in excellent form in recent times and his return from injury can be bolster his chances for the T20 selection as well.
