Shreyas Iyer suffered an abdominal injury during SCG ODI between India and Australia.
Shreyas Iyer, India's ODI vice-captain, batted for the first time since being injured on December 24 in Mumbai, and the right-hander is currently on his way to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
Shreyas Iyer had suffered an abdominal injury while taking a catch in the third ODI in Sydney between India and Australia. He had to be hospitalized and underwent an emergency procedure after it was discovered that he had ruptured his spleen and was bleeding internally.
He remained under observation in Australia before making his way back home to Mumbai. Due to his injury, Iyer missed the entire Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy, the South Africa ODI series, and the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy as well.
It is impossible to set a timeframe for his return at this time, but it is thought that the 31-year-old is pushing for a return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, though dates will be finalized at the CoE.
"Shreyas Iyer had a very unfortunate injury in Australia, and it made him miss a lot of competitive cricket. The good sign is that he is pain-free at the moment and batted without any trouble in Mumbai on Wednesday. India next plays New Zealand, and while that could still be touch and go, a return in the later stages of the Vijay Hazare Trophy can't be ruled out at this stage," said a BCCI official, as quoted by the Times of India.
Iyer plans to spend "four to six" days at the CoE in Bengaluru, where he hopes to clarify deadlines. He had already begun regular gym and fitness sessions, and all post-injury scans and assessments showed no cause for concern.
"He is already back to regular training in the gym. So, no red flags there at the moment, but it all depends on the CoE assessment. He will be there for anywhere between four and six days. Like with every player, he won't be rushed back, but efforts will be directed towards his speedy return," the officials added.
India next plays ODIs vs. New Zealand from January 11, and the squad for the series is likely to be announced early in January. And it remains to be seen if Shreyas Iyer will be included in the Indian squad for the same.