Shreyas Iyer set to miss South Africa ODIs, availability for New Zealand series unclear - Reports

Shreyas Iyer suffered the injury during the third ODI between India and Australia in Sydney.

Shreyas Iyer, Indian cricket’s ODI vice-captain, has been ruled out for nearly two months after suffering a spleen laceration during the third and final ODI against Australia last week at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney.

The tragic occurrence occurred while Iyer was diving to complete a difficult catch, resulting in internal bleeding and the Indian middle-order batter having to undergo an urgent medical operation in Sydney. Thankfully, Iyer’s condition has improved, and he has been moved out of the ICU.

Reports have stated that to prevent internal bleeding, doctors used an interventional transcatheter embolization treatment. This method involves a medical intervention in which a tiny catheter is used to stop the bleeding artery.

It is also worth noting that Iyer is currently under the care of a team of specialists in Sydney, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) medical staff is closely monitoring his recovery.

Shreyas Iyer set to miss South Africa ODIs, not cleared for New Zealand series as well

RevSportz’s report, which revealed which medical procedure was performed on Shreyas Iyer to save him from surgery, also confirmed that the cricketer will be out of action for two months. This comes after doctors advised complete rest; therefore, Iyer will miss India’s forthcoming ODI series against South Africa next month.

Furthermore, the Indian vice-captain’s participation in a home series against New Zealand in January appears unclear, as he is unlikely to reach full match fitness in time.

This longer rehabilitation period could have a negative impact on his hopes of competing in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2026, as the Indian cricket team management is anticipated to finalize their 15-member roster by January.

Iyer has been one of India’s best performers in one-day internationals over the last year. His absence will be a significant blow to the team’s preparations for the forthcoming South Africa series. In 2025, Iyer played 11 ODIs for India, scoring 496 runs at an average of 49.60 and a strike rate of 89.53.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.