India batter Shreyas Iyer remains in a Sydney hospital after a painful landing while fielding in the third ODI against Australia. Doctors have confirmed a lacerated spleen and, for now, he is staying in the Intensive Care Unit. His condition is described as stable, though there is still no firm date for discharge.
“Shreyas Iyer sustained an impact injury to his left lower rib cage region while fielding during the third ODI against Australia. He was taken to the hospital for further evaluation,” a BCCI release stated. “Scans have revealed a laceration injury to the spleen.
He is under treatment, medically stable, and recovering well. The BCCI medical team, in consultation with specialists in Sydney and India, is closely monitoring his injury status. The Indian team doctor will remain in Sydney with Shreyas to evaluate his day-to-day progress.”
The incident came midway through Australia’s innings in Sydney. Iyer sprinted back from point to claim Alex Carey’s lofted cut, completed the catch, but immediately clutched his ribs and called for attention. He left the ground on a stretcher and did not return.
One member of the Indian medical staff has stayed behind in Sydney, while the remainder of the ODI squad flew home on Sunday night. Players picked for the T20Is have since moved to Canberra and trained on Monday. The first of those five matches begins on 29 October.
Team management are reluctant to predict when Iyer might play again. A spleen injury typically rules an athlete out for several weeks at the least, though recovery varies. Former India physiotherapist John Gloster explained why caution is essential: “Any damage to the spleen can become serious if there’s further contact, so rest and regular scans are the safest route.”
India lost the ODI series 2-1 after defeats in Perth and Adelaide, but pulled one back in Sydney with a nine-wicket win. Iyer, however, watched the run-chase from a hospital bed.
He was not part of the current T20I squad anyway, yet his availability for the three-match ODI series against South Africa, starting 30 November in Ranchi, is now uncertain. Captain Rohit Sharma sounded a pragmatic note when asked about timelines: “We’ll give Shreyas all the time he needs. Health comes first.”
For now, the focus stays on medical updates rather than match previews, and the dressing-room mood reflects both concern for a team-mate and quiet optimism he’ll be back before long.
