Shreyas Iyer Likely to Miss Three Weeks After Rib Injury During Sydney ODI

Shreyas Iyer suffered a left rib injury while fielding in the third ODI against Australia in Sydney and may be sidelined for at least three weeks.

India’s new ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer may be out of action for at least three weeks after suffering a “jerk” on his left rib cage while taking a catch off Harshit Rana’s bowling during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

At present, it remains uncertain whether he will recover in time for India’s first ODI against South Africa, scheduled to be played in Ranchi on November 30.

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“Shreyas was taken to the hospital for scans during the match itself. As per initial diagnosis, there has been a jerk and he will have to be out of action for minimum three weeks. He will have to report to the Centre of Excellence on his return. Further reports are awaited before one can conclude if he will require more time for recovery. If it is a hairline fracture then it might take longer,” a BCCI source, who requested anonymity, was quoted as saying to PTI.

When asked about Iyer’s availability for the South Africa ODI series, the source added, “It is too early to say. If it is three weeks before RTP (Return To Play), then there is a chance that it could be touch and go before November 30.”

The 30-year-old batter is currently a specialist in one format, having taken a six-month break from red-ball cricket due to recurring back issues. He has also not been part of India’s T20 setup for some time.

Iyer is only 83 runs away from reaching 3000 ODI runs. He had scored a fluent 61 in the second ODI in Adelaide while experimenting with a new batting stance during the recently concluded series.

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How Was Iyer Injured?

On the day of his injury, Alex Carey mistimed a slash that went high toward third man. Positioned at backward point, Iyer sprinted back, kept his balance, and completed a difficult catch before landing awkwardly on his left side, injuring his rib cage.

He appeared to be in severe pain as team physio Kamlesh Jain escorted him off the field before he was taken to the hospital for precautionary scans.

“Shreyas Iyer sustained an injury to his left rib cage while fielding. He has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation and assessment of his injury,” the BCCI stated in its release.