Shreyas Iyer Return Update: Will He Play India vs South Africa ODI Series?

India will host South Africa for a three-match ODI series starting late November 2025. With Shreyas Iyer recovering from an injury, questions loom over his participation.

Shreyas Iyer got injured taking a catch in the third IND vs AUS ODI

Source : X, @BCCI

India will host South Africa for a three-match One Day International (ODI) series late next month, November 2025.

They lost a recent ODI series against Australia 2-1, but ended the final match on a high with big scores from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. However, Shreyas Iyer, the team's vice captain and an important batsman, sustained an injury during this fixture. 

He was rushed to the hospital in Sydney, was even in the ICU for a bit, and while he is in a stable condition as of now, speculation looms around his participation in the upcoming IND vs SA ODI series.

Will Shreyas Iyer Play ODI Series Against South Africa?

Speaking with the Times Of India, Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), stated that it should normally take him six to eight weeks to recover completely. 

However, he also said he might surprise everyone with a faster comeback.

"Shreyas is much, much, much better. His recovery has been much faster than what the doctor expected. I’m in regular touch with Dr Rizwan (Khan, Indian team doctor who stayed back with Iyer to assist with his treatment at the Sydney hospital). Normally, he should take six to eight weeks (to recover completely), but you can expect a surprise from him because he may recover much earlier,"

Although this is a positive update regarding Iyer's return, the India vs South Africa ODIs kick off from November 30, 2025, which is just four weeks out.

Whether he is able to return that quickly with complete game fitness remains to be seen.

India vs South Africa: ODI Series Schedule

IND vs SA ODI 1 - November 30, 2025

IND vs SA ODI 2 - December 3, 2025

IND vs SA ODI 3 - December 6, 2025

This series will be followed by a five-match T20 series agains South Africa, which will also be played at home.