India striker Shreyas Iyer has reportedly decided to undergo surgery to correct his recurring back injury problems. The Mumbai-born batsman will miss the entire ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season as well as the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia starting on June 7.
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, Shreyas, like his teammate Jasprit Bumrah, will travel abroad for the surgery. He is expected to return to training three months after the surgery, which will at least keep him in contention for the ODI World Cup in October-November.
Earlier reports suggested that Shreyas is ready to take the decision to undergo the surgery while taking rest under the advice of a specialist. However, the problem seems to have gotten out of control, leaving no option but surgery.
Shreyas had already been ruled out for the first half of the 2023 IPL, prompting Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to appoint Nitish Rana as interim captain. The franchise opened their campaign with a defeat against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mohali on Saturday, April 1.
The right-handed hitter’s back injury also affected his leg, as a swollen disc in his lower back put severe pressure on one of the nerves, leading to pain in his right calf, which sidelined him.
Shreyas Iyer has been troubled by persistent back injuries for some time now
The decision to undergo surgery is certainly not a snap as the injury has been bothering Shreyas Iyer for quite some time now.
He was ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand and the first Test against Australia due to similar complications.
Shreyas was also ruled out of the second half of the final Test against the Aussies in Ahmedabad, as well as the subsequent ODI series against the same opponents.
Team India captain Rohit Sharma spoke about Shreyas’ injury after the 2-1 Border-Gavaskar Trophy win.
“Poor guy! It was just such an unfortunate incident. He had to wait all day to bat, and when the day was over, the back problem recurred. He was sent to the hospital for a scan. “I don’t know the exact scan report, but he doesn’t seem to be doing too well.”
Apart from Shreyas, Team India will also be without the services of Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant for the WTC final against Australia at The Oval.
Will Shreyas Iyer be fully fit and ready in time for the Asia Cup and World Cup in the second half of 2023? Let us know what you think!