Shreyas Iyer replaces injured skipper Shardul Thakur as Mumbai captain in Vijay Hazare Trophy
This marks Iyer’s return after months out following a spleen injury sustained last October
Iyer will lead Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in Group C
Mumbai have been forced into a leadership change midway through the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, with Shreyas Iyer taking over as captain after Shardul Thakur was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to injury. The decision was confirmed on Monday by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).
Thakur, the regular skipper, has been advised to rest and is currently unavailable for selection. This prompted the selectors to hand the reins to Iyer for Mumbai’s remaining matches in the domestic 50-over competition.
Iyer Returns After Lengthy Layoff
The captaincy change marks Shreyas Iyer’s return to competitive cricket after a prolonged injury absence. The India batter had suffered a spleen laceration with internal bleeding during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney in October last year, sidelining him for several months.
Despite his fitness being monitored closely, Iyer has now been cleared by the BCCI medical team to join the Mumbai squad through the crucial phase of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
“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 the remaining matches,” Mumbai chief selector Sanjay Patil told PTI, without revealing details of Thakur’s injury.
MCA Confirms Captaincy Change
The MCA formally announced the change in leadership through a statement, confirming that Thakur will play no further part in the tournament.
“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,” MCA secretary Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar said in a release.
Iyer will lead Mumbai in their Group C Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 clash against Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, followed by a big match against Punjab on January 8.
Iyer’s domestic return also coincides with his recall to India’s ODI setup. Subject to fitness clearance, he has been named in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
The India vs New Zealand series begins in Vadodara on January 11, with the remaining matches scheduled for January 14 in Rajkot and January 18 in Indore.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy knockout matches will be staged at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru from January 12 to January 18.
(With PTI Inputs)
