Shreyas Iyer is all set to lead India in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, starting Sunday (September 13) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

Ahead of the opening match, Iyer addressed the frequent injury concerns plaguing the Indian camp over the last nine months. Key players like Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana have been ruled out due to injuries, while frontline pacer Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar are making their returns following their respective injury layoffs.

Despite these setbacks constantly altering the combinations, Iyer expressed absolute trust in the team's depth. He emphasized that players cannot be blamed for injuries sustained while executing high-intensity efforts for the team and backed the incoming bench strength to grab their opportunities and deliver.

“And talking about the combination, I feel that it certainly impacts the combination, but we know how all the players are. Even if there is a backup, he is equally important for the team and we know that they can deliver as well," Iyer told reporters on Saturday (September 12).

“It isn’t frustrating. We need to understand, first of all, the number of matches a player is playing continuously, rigorously. He is prone to getting injured in some way or the other because the intensity is pretty high," he said.

“And then we also need to understand that not every player thinks of getting injured deliberately. It’s because they are putting in efforts for the team and if that effort turns out to be on the negative side, you cannot control it," he added.

Bumrah was out of action since July 17 when he suffered a left knee impact injury while fielding during the second ODI against England in Cardiff, leading to reactive swelling.

Commenting on the ace pacer’s return from injury, Shreyas Iyer emphasized the importance of match time and confidence.

“Definitely, I interacted with him yesterday and he is in that mindset where he wants to come and perform for the team and see to it that we win championships," he remarked.