India batter Shreyas Iyer has been reportedly ruled out of at least the first half of the upcoming IPL 2023 tournament due to the reoccurrence of his back issues during the fourth and final Test against Australia in Ahmedabad.
Iyer had previously missed the New Zealand ODIs at home after suffering from a back injury and also missed the first two Tests against Australia due to the same issue. He was rehabbed and got treated at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru before making his comeback to the team for the last two Tests.
However, after fielding for almost 170 overs in the Ahmedabad Test, Shreyas Iyer complained of back pains and was taken for scans which confirmed the reoccurrence of his back injury and he was unable to bat during India’s innings.
Iyer has now been referred to the NCA once more, as he was also not named in the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia.
Shreyas Iyer Opts Not To Go For Surgery For Now
Cricbuzz has reported that after consultation with doctors at the NCA, Shreyas Iyer has opted not to go for surgery for his back injury, at least for now. While surgery seems imminent, the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru is also understood to have recommended it.
The player wants to see if the injury can be managed without an operation at this stage. Both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian team management are being kept in the loop.
It also remains to be seen whether Iyer, who captains the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), can play in the IPL 2023 at some point of time. His participation from the first day is not possible but as of Thursday (March 23), he has not been totally ruled out of the season conclusively.
As per the report, Iyer is said to be more interested in the World Cup than the IPL and surgery will keep him out of action for at least six to seven months, with no assurances that he would be able to return to competitive play by October or November when the World Cup will be played.