Ahead of the IPL 2024 season, India batter Shreyas Iyer has reportedly suffered a big setback as he is struggling with back injury again.

According to a TOI report, Iyer’s back injury seems to have flared up again during his 95-run knock in the ongoing Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede Stadium.

The recurring injury, for which the Mumbaikar underwent surgery last year, might put his IPL 2024 participation in jeopardy, at least in the initial stage.

Shreyas is the designated captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He also missed last year’s IPL due to the same injury and Nitish Rana led the Kolkata-based franchise in his absence.

During Mumbai’s second innings in the Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha, Shreyas Iyer had to twice seek treatment from the Mumbai physio for back spasms.

The 29-year-old didn’t take the field for the entire fourth day’s play and the report claimed that Iyer went to a hospital for a scan of his back.

“It’s not looking good. It’s the same back injury which has got aggravated. It’s unlikely that he will take the field on Day 5 of the Ranji Trophy final. He is in danger of missing the initial matches of the IPL,” TOI quoted a source as saying.

Earlier this season, Shreyas Iyer had missed two of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy matches after complaining of pain in his back.

“During the recently-held Test series against England at home, he had told the Indian team management about this injury troubling him again,” the source added.

However, an email from Nitin Patel, the head of sports science and medicine at the NCA, later declared Iyer fit and the BCCI denied him a central contract on the grounds that he was not playing Ranji Trophy matches.

(With TOI Inputs)