IND vs NZ: Shreyas Iyer On Cusp Of Breaking Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan's Major Record In ODI

India vs New Zealand ODIs: Indian middle-order batting star Shreyas Iyer stands just 34 runs away from 3,000 ODI runs ahead of the second ODI against New Zealand starting at Vadodara on Wednesday.

With the series leaning in India's favour so far by 1-0, the Kiwis will be looking to get the equaliser at Rajkot. In the first ODI, during a chase of 301 runs, Iyer had played a vital knock of 49 in 47 balls, with four boundaries and a six and had a 77-run stand with Virat Kohli.

Now in 74 ODIs and 68 innings, Shreyas has scored 2,966 runs at an average of 47.83 and a strike rate of over 99, with five centuries and 23 fifties and a best score of 128*.

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With just 34 runs required, he edges closer to carving his name in the record books as the fastest Indian to reach the 3,000-run landmark in ODIs, surpassing Shikhar Dhawan's 72 innings and Virat Kohli's 75 innings.

If Iyer completes the record within this innings itself, he will the fourth-fastest to reach the milestone in terms of innings taken, tying with West Indies icon Viv Richards. Also, he will surpass Shikhar Dhawan as the fastest Indian to the milestone, with the left-hander having taken 72 innings to reach there.

Iyer's resurgence was encouraged by his stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, where he sharpened his skills, followed by amazing performances for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, paving the way for a spot in the national team.

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The 31-year-old batter showcased his match fitness in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, smashing 82 off 53 balls for Mumbai against Himachal Pradesh, after recovering from a spleen injury in Australia.

In the next fixture, he played another pleasing knock of 45 off 34 balls against Punjab.