India batter Shreyas Iyer has been hospitalised in Sydney after suffering a laceration injury to his spleen during the third One-Day International (ODI) against Australia on 25 October.
The 30-year-old sustained the injury while taking a catch to dismiss Alex Carey in the 34th over of the match. Iyer appeared to land awkwardly on his left rib cage and was seen in visible pain before leaving the field. He did not return to play.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed in a statement that Iyer remains under treatment in hospital and is “medically stable and recovering well”. The board added that its medical team, in consultation with specialists in Sydney and India, is monitoring his condition closely, with the Indian team doctor staying in Sydney to assess his daily progress.
A report from news agency PTI revealed that Iyer was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after scans detected internal bleeding caused by the impact. “He will remain under observation for anywhere between two to seven days depending on recovery,” a source told PTI. “Things are stable now, but it could have been fatal. He’s a tough lad and should be fine soon.”
Initially expected to be sidelined for around three weeks, Iyer’s recovery is now likely to take longer due to the nature of the injury. “Since there has been internal bleeding, he will certainly need more time to recover, and it is difficult to put a definite timeline on his return,” the source added.
Iyer was serving as vice-captain during India’s ODI series against Australia, which the visitors lost 2–1. After managing only 11 runs in the opening match, he struck a resilient half-century in Adelaide before being forced out of the third fixture through injury.
The incident comes after a difficult period for Iyer, whose career has been repeatedly disrupted by injuries. He missed part of the Test series against England earlier this year due to a back problem and later underwent surgery in the UK. Although he returned to the Indian setup following months of rehabilitation, recurring back spasms have continued to trouble him.
Earlier this year, Iyer informed the BCCI of his decision to take a six-month break from red-ball cricket to focus on fitness and manage his workload. He was not considered for selection for the Irani Cup as part of that agreement.
Iyer, who has scored 2,917 runs at an average of 47.81 in ODIs, remains an important figure in India’s white-ball setup. The five-match T20 series against Australia begins on 29 October, but he is not part of the squad.
