NEW DELHI: Shreyas Iyer will walk out to bat in the second ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday with history firmly within touching distance, as the India vice-captain stands on the verge of a massive personal milestone that underlines his growing stature in the format.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Iyer needs just 34 runs to etch his name into the record books, a feat that would place him among the quickest Indians to reach 3000 runs in ODI cricket and further highlight his transformation into one of India’s most reliable middle-order batters. Presently, the record for the fastest Indian to the landmark is held by Shikhar Dhawan, who achieved it in 72 innings, followed by Virat Kohli, who took 75 innings. Iyer, who has 2966 runs to his name, will reach the milestone in just 69 innings if he scores the required runs on Wednesday.

The right-hander marked his return to international cricket in style in the series opener on Sunday, scoring a fluent 49 off 47 balls as India successfully chased down a target of 301. It was a reassuring comeback after a frustrating injury layoff that began during the third ODI against Australia on October 25, 2025, forcing him to miss the home series against South Africa.Iyer worked his way back through the BCCI Centre of Excellence and proved his readiness with strong performances for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy before reclaiming his place in the national side. Since making his ODI debut in 2017, Iyer has steadily evolved from a promising talent into a mainstay of India’s XI and a key member of the leadership group. Should he achieve the milestone in the second ODI, Iyer will also join West Indies great Viv Richards as the joint-fourth fastest batter overall to the mark, with the all-time record belonging to South Africa’s Hashim Amla, who reached it in just 57 innings.