India, Dec. 30 -- Shreyas Iyer's return to competitive cricket has been further delayed, as his body isn't yet back to the strength benchmark required for full clearance.

The development muddies his immediate route back through Mumbai's Vijay Hazare Trophy games, while throwing fresh uncertainty over whether he can be in the mix for the New Zealand ODIs.

"There is no problem with his batting, but he lost around six kgs after the injury in Australia. While he has regained some weight, there has been a drop in his muscle mass, which has further affected his strength levels. The medical team will not be taking any chances because he is a very important player in the ODI setup, and his complete recovery is of utmost importance right now. Th...