NEW DELHI: Having spent more than two months away from cricket due to a spleen injury he suffered against Australia in October, Shreyas Iyer made an immediate impact on his return, scoring a crucial 49 off 47 balls in India's four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI in Vadodara on Sunday.

Iyer also put together a 77-run partnership for the third wicket with Virat Kohli before India suffered a mini-collapse in their 301-run chase. Kohli continued his sublime form, registering his fifth consecutive fifty-plus score with a match-winning 93 off 91 balls.

In a video shared by the BCCI, Iyer described the win as a "great start" to the series. He also expressed his joy at being back from injury, relishing the chance to be in the dressing room with his teammates again - a camaraderie he missed deeply while recovering.

"Great start for the series. Coming back after a while into the team, it feels great to be a part of this squad. More than that, it was a great feeling to share the dressing room with each and every one. I was missing it for quite a while, but I am happy to be back," says lyer.

Iyer was also in awe of Kohli's 93-run knock, saying that no amount of praise could truly do justice to the remarkable contributions he has been making over the years.

"Whatever we talk about his innings, it would be less. We have been seeing it for so many years now he's been doing it consistently. The way he rotates the strike and he takes on the bowlers, he basically walks the talk," lyer said.

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All-rounder Harshit Rana, who broke New Zealand's opening stand between Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway, also expressed content. Rana said he dismissed Nicholls with a wide yorker that came off perfectly, followed it up by removing Conway in the next over, and enjoyed taking two wickets in quick succession.

He credited his father for shaping his batting and said that his father believed all-rounders get earlier opportunities in the Indian team. Rana added that he is developing his game to contribute with runs for the team while batting at No. 8.

"The first wicket I took was of Nicholls. While I was planning to bowl wide to him but I hadn't thought of a wide yorker but it landed right. The other wicket was of Devon Conway and it felt great to scalp two wickets in two back-to-back overs," Rana said in a video.

"The credit for my batting goes to my father because he always used to think that all-rounders get early chances for playing in the Indian team. Even today, I think he is going to go hard on me for the way I got out. I am developing my game in such a manner that I can contribute with 30-40 runs for the team, coming at number 8," Rana added.