India’s ODI vice-captain, Shreyas Iyer, is likely to be sidelined for at least three weeks due to an injury sustained while fielding during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney. Iyer hurt his left rib cage while attempting to catch a ball off Harshit Rana’s bowling.
Currently, it is uncertain whether he will make it back in time for India’s first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on November 30. A source from the BCCI reported that Iyer was taken to the hospital for scans during the match, and the initial diagnosis suggested he needs about three weeks to recover.
Following his return, Iyer will report to the Centre of Excellence for further assessment, as there are still pending reports that will determine the extent of his injury. If it’s a hairline fracture, his recovery could take longer.
When questioned about Iyer’s availability for the South Africa series, the source commented, “It’s too early to say. If he needs three weeks before he can return to play, it might be very close to November 30.”
The 30-year-old cricketer has recently focused on ODI cricket, having taken a six-month break from red-ball formats due to back issues. He has not featured in T20 matches for some time. Iyer is just 83 runs away from reaching 3,000 runs in ODIs. In the recently concluded series, he made 61 runs in the second ODI in Adelaide using a new batting stance.
During the incident, a mis-hit from Alex Carey turned into a high ball that Iyer chased down from backward point. He managed to take the catch but fell to the ground, landing hard on his ribcage. He experienced significant pain and was assisted by team physio Kamlesh Jain before being taken to the hospital for precautionary scans.
The BCCI confirmed Iyer’s injury, stating, “Shreyas Iyer sustained an injury to his left rib cage while fielding and has been taken to the hospital for more evaluation.”
In that match, India secured victory by nine wickets, bolstered by an impressive unbeaten 121 from Rohit Sharma and a 74 from Virat Kohli while chasing a target of 237.
