India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has provided a much-needed update on teammate Shreyas Iyer’s health, days after the batter was rushed to a hospital in Sydney with a serious spleen injury. Speaking to reporters ahead of the first T20I against Australia in Canberra, Suryakumar said that Iyer is now stable and “able to talk to everyone”, an insight that would relieve all the Indian cricket fans.
Iyer’s injury occurred during the third ODI in Sydney, when he took a stunning running catch to dismiss Alex Carey off Harshit Rana’s bowling. However, in an attempt to take the overhead catch, he landed awkwardly on his left side, clutching his ribs in pain before being escorted off the field by medical staff.
Scans later revealed a laceration to the spleen and internal bleeding, forcing him into the ICU for observation. The BCCI confirmed that the 30-year-old was “medically stable and recovering well”, with doctors in Sydney and India jointly monitoring his progress. Having said that, Iyer fainted in the Indian dressing room at the start and BCCI’s speedy action on him saved Iyer from being severely injured.
Suryakumar Yadav on Shreyas Iyer
Addressing the media at the pre-match press conference, Suryakumar revealed that he immediately reached out to Iyer after hearing the news but couldn’t connect at first. He later contacted team physio Kamlesh Jain for an update before finally hearing back from Iyer himself.
“The first day I got to know he was injured, I called him. Then I found out he didn’t have his phone with him, so I called the physio, Kamlesh Jain,” Suryakumar said. “But I have been talking to him over the last two days. He has been replying. Agar woh reply kar raha hai, that means he is stable. It’s looking good… the doctors are there already. They will keep him under observation for a few days. However, he has been replying and talking to everyone, which is good.”
Earlier on Tuesday, reports said that Iyer had been shifted out of the ICU, with one of his family members expected to join him in Sydney soon. Though stable, he will remain under medical supervision for several more days before being discharged.
With Iyer unavailable, India’s focus now shifts to the five-match T20I series, starting Wednesday at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. While Iyer wasn’t part of the T20I side, there are multiple other superstars that would take the field after a successful Asia Cup 2025. Suryakumar Yadav’s form will be under the scanner, while there will be multiple selection headaches too.
