Could Shreyas Iyer miss IPL after injury against England? 3 areas where Delhi Capitals would feel his absence

Shreyas Iyer Delhi Capitals: The first ODI between India and England at Pune ended in a very uplifting win for India. The hosts twice came back from precarious situations to snatch the victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series. However, one setback for the Men in Blue was the injury to middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer. The Delhi Capitals captain injured his left-shoulder while fielding during the England innings.

Reports have emerged that Iyer dislocated his shoulder and may need at least 6-8 weeks for treatment and recovery from the injury. This means not only is he out of this series but his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season is also in doubt.

If indeed the middle-order batsman fails to play for Delhi Capitals in the T20 league, what would that mean for the side’s chances in the tournament? What would be the biggest impact of his absence?

Let’s look at three areas where DC would miss Iyer the most in the upcoming season if he indeed gets ruled out.

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Shreyas Iyer Delhi Capitals: Leadership                                                             

Though not a top international star till last year, Shreyas has been one of the most reliable performers in domestic cricket over the years.

It was this experience of his and, of course, his immense talent that led to his appointment as captain of the Capitals’ side. And it worked as Delhi managed to finally make it to the IPL final last season.

If now, Delhi has to look for a new captain, it may disturb the apple cart and send the team back into an unsettled state. The value of leadership and captains in IPL is very evident.

Both Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni’s leadership are regarded as the biggest reasons for their team’s success in the history of IPL. Iyer may have struck the right note for the DC side with his captaincy. His injury may take that away from his team.

UPDATE – Shreyas Iyer subluxated his left shoulder in the 8th over while fielding. He has been taken for further scans and won’t take any further part in the game.

Rohit Sharma was hit on the right elbow while batting and felt some pain later. He won’t take the field.#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/s8KINKvCl4

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 23, 2021

Shreyas Iyer Delhi Capitals: Batting

In this match itself, one could see the magnificent ability possesses by the right-hander as a batsman. Like most good Indian batsman, he has great timing and a wide array of strokes. He is being looked upon as the man who would add strength to the Indian middle order in ODIs which has looked notoriously vulnerable.

Needless to say, his value to the Delhi IPL team is also immense. If he is absent, a very important link in the Capitals’ batting line-up would be broken.

The runners-up from the 2020 season have a great opening pair of Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan. Shimron Hetmyer and Rishabh Pant provide lower-order strength. Iyer, along with Steve Smith, would have provided a bridge between the two ends. If he is not there, Smith may have too much to do.

Shreyas Iyer Delhi Capitals: Who Else?

If Shreyas doesn’t play for DC, there will be troubles for the team in picking a replacement skipper. Yes, there are many options – Smith, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane.

But all of them have been tried as captain before and failed to be successful for a long time.

If someone like Marcus Stoinis is given the charge, he may have difficulty dealing with the big names and also the many youngsters in the side. So, selecting a replacement may be a headache for the Delhi team.