Star India batsman Shreyas Iyer will miss the rest of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a back injury that has kept him out of action since Australia’s tour of India before the tournament. The 28-year-old has opted to undergo surgery to recover from the injury, which will also rule him out of the World Test Championship final between India and Australia.
Iyer’s participation in the IPL had been in doubt, prompting the franchise to appoint Nitish Rana as the team’s skipper in his absence. According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, Iyer will travel overseas for the surgery and will be out of action for a minimum of three months. He will be able to resume training only after a successful surgery.
Earlier, there had been reports of Iyer opting out of the surgery, but recent developments suggest that he will undergo the procedure to recover in time. Iyer’s absence from the IPL will be a major blow to the Delhi Capitals, who have already lost key players like Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje due to their national commitments.
Iyer complained of back pain during India’s tour of Bangladesh, which kept him out of the international setup for over a month. He returned to action during the Border Gavaskar Trophy in February, but faced similar issues during the fourth and final Test of the series in Ahmedabad, which forced him to sit out of the game.
It is believed that Iyer has a bulging disc in his spine that caused a pinched nerve, resulting in swelling in his lower back during the Bangladesh and Australia series. In addition, a nerve that runs along his right calf has been affected, exacerbating his challenges.
The Indian Test team will begin preparing for the World Test Championship final soon after the conclusion of the IPL. Iyer’s absence from the team will be a setback, but India will be hoping for a speedy recovery for the talented batsman.
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