However, with the IPL being suspended midway due to the rising Covid-19 cases within the bubble, there are chances that Iyer could return to the side once the tournament resumes in September in the United Arab Emirates. However, questions are asked on whether the player can return after his replacement was already named in April.

Delhi already have a squad of 25 (the maximum number of players allowed in a franchise), which indicates that they will not be able to accommodate both Iyer and Joshi if the former returns. Commentator Aakash Chopra cleared the air about Iyer’s return in a recent interaction with fans on his YouTube channel, where he stated, “Rules are definitely not like once you are ruled out, you cannot come back. When fit and available, come back and play,” he added.

Despite Iyer’s injury, the Mumbaikar is still contracted with the Delhi team, and, thus, can return to play whenever deemed fit. The side, however, will have to let go of another Indian player considering they will have an extra member, with Joshi in the squad as well.

If the side did not have the maximum capacity of 25 players, they could have had both Iyer and Joshi in their squad. However, they are already over-capacity, unless a few Indian players miss the upcoming second-leg of the IPL.

This is the reason why injury replacements Anrich Nortje and Jason Holder, coming in for Chris Woakes in Delhi Capitals and Mitchell Marsh in Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively, were able to continue with the side even when they were declared fit. The new signees are contracted with the franchise, and it is up to the team to release them or retain them, as long as they do not exceed their squad limit of 17 Indians and eight overseas players.