Shreyas Iyer’s oxygen levels dropped to 50, couldn’t stand; unlikely to play in South Africa ODIs- Report

Shreyas Iyer, India's ODI vice-captain, has returned to the nation and is making progress in his recuperation after a severe on-field injury he suffered in Australia.

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While making a dashing diving catch off Harshit Rana's bowling to remove Australia's wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey during the Sydney ODI, Shreyas sustained a serious injury. He was obviously uncomfortable, so he had to be taken off the field for more scans.

He was found to have sustained a "blunt injury to his abdomen" during fielding, which resulted in an internal bleeding spleen laceration, after being admitted to the hospital. The haemorrhage was found following a minor procedure.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on November 1 that Iyer had been discharged from a hospital in Sydney. Experts from Australia and India were pleased with his recovery. The Indian team dispatched team doctor Rizwan Khan to go with Iyer to the hospital in Sydney.

Shreyas Iyer unlikely to feature in India vs. South Africa ODI series

While Shreyas Iyer has begun his recovery process, sources have stated that the injury was more serious than expected, and he is unlikely to play in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa.

The report also stated Iyer’s condition was more severe than initially thought, with his oxygen level dropping to 50 at one point following the incident.

“He wasn’t able to stand properly for nearly 10 minutes. There was a complete blackout around him, and it took some time for him to return to normal,” a source told Hindustan Times.

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Iyer has been under medical care since returning home, and it is estimated that it will take him more than a month to get to full match fitness.

“The board and selection committee don’t want to rush him back after the injury. He will take more time to be fully fit, and his participation in the South Africa series looks doubtful,” the report added.

After the two-test series, which starts on November 14, India will play the three ODIs at Ranchi, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam.

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