IPL 2021: Shreyas Iyer confirms availability for IPL 14, but not certain of Delhi Capitals' captaincy

New Delhi, July 5: Middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer on Monday (July 5) said he would be available for the Delhi Capitals when the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) season resumes in the UAE in September later this year.

Iyer had suffered a shoulder injury during the ODI series against England earlier this year, and as a result, he missed the IPL 2021 first leg which was held in India. Delhi Capitals then announced wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant as the leader of the franchise.

"My shoulder, yes, I think the healing process is done. Now it's the last stage of achieving strength and range. So that's going to take about a month and the training is obviously going on. Other than that, I feel, I will be there in the IPL," Iyer said on The Grade Cricketer's Podcast.

When asked whether he would come back as the captain of Delhi Capitals, Iyer said: "I don't know about the captaincy, it's in the hands of the owners. But the team has already been doing well and we are on top and that's what really matters to me. My main aim and goal are to lift the trophy which Delhi has never done before."

Iyer had led the Delhi franchise to the finals of IPL 2020 but the side had to face a loss in the summit clash against Mumbai Indians. Under Pant, Delhi Capitals was positioned at the top of the table before the IPL 2021 got suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The remaining half of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to be played in the UAE from September 19 to October 15. The schedule is yet to be released as the BCCI and teams are finalising the logistics and they are facing a hard time too as the second leg of IPL 2021 is clashing with the Dubai Expo.