Shreyas Iyer likely to miss the South Africa ODIs, while his availability for the NZ series is also doubtful

After suffering a burst spleen during last week's third ODI against Australia, India's outstanding batsman and ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is anticipated to miss two months of action. The Indian batter had a surgical operation to stem the internal bleeding caused by the injury. His condition is now stable, according to the latest reports, and he was discharged from the intensive care unit at a Sydney hospital early this week.

At the Sydney Cricket Ground, the 30-year-old was carried off the pitch right away after sustaining the injury while trying a challenging catch to dismiss Alex Carey.

Iyer won't be able to play in the three-match ODI series against South Africa at home next month since he will be out of commission for the next two months, according to RevSportz. In contrast to previous reports that suggested surgery, BCCI secretary Debajit Saikia explained that Iyer had a medical technique to stop the internal bleeding instead of surgery.

Iyer had interventional trans-catheter embolisation, which is a minimally invasive technique that entails passing a catheter through an artery to stop the bleeding under imaging guidance, according to RevSportz. His condition has stabilised as a result of the successful treatment.

Furthermore, it appears doubtful that the Indian vice-captain will be able to play in another home series against New Zealand in January, as he is unlikely to be fully healthy in time for the matches. Given that the Indian cricket team management is likely to finalise their 15-member roster by January, this prolonged recuperation period could significantly affect his prospects of winning the ICC T20 World Cup in 2026.

Iyer's next chance to play for India will be during the white-ball tour of England in July of next year, if he is unable to play in the ODI series against New Zealand.

For his supporters, Shreyas Iyer did post something on social media. He acknowledged the tremendous support from fans and said he is making good progress.

"I'm currently in the recovery process and getting better every passing day. I'm deeply grateful to see all the kind wishes and support I've received—it truly means a lot. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts," Iyer posted on X.

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