He succumbed to an injury on September 25 in Sydney.
Shreyas Iyer, who succumbed to a laceration injury to the spleen on the tour of Australia, is yet to return to action. India are recently involved in a two-match Test series against South Africa. They will next play three ODIs and five T20Is against the Proteas, before a similar white-ball series against New Zealand. Here’s an injury update on when the Indian batter would resume playing.
The IND vs SA ODIs will begin on November 30, while the IND vs NZ tour will begin on January 11, 2026. According to RevSportz, Shreyas Iyer will need another two months to return to full fitness. Thus, he may not be included in the squad for games against New Zealand.
Soon to be 31 years old, the player took a stunning catch before hitting the ground, which led to the injury. He was immediately taken off the field and admitted to the ICU in Sydney.
The third and latest update from BCCI on November 1 reads, “He is now stable and recovering well. The BCCI Medical Team, along with specialists in Sydney and India, are pleased with his recovery, and he has been discharged from the hospital today. Shreyas will continue to stay in Sydney for follow-up consultations and will return to India once he is deemed fit to fly.”
It is difficult to conclude whether the ODI vice-captain returned to India, but he is on a path to recovery.
A spleen laceration means a tear or cut in the splenic tissue caused by blunt force trauma. The spleen is a blood-rich organ, and such injuries can cause significant internal bleeding. While mild cases heal naturally with rest, severe lacerations may require surgical intervention through procedures like angiographic embolisation to seal damaged blood vessels. Shreyas Iyer was recently described as “recovering well” and “medically stable.”
The recovery period for a spleen laceration depends on its grade.
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Before the near-fatal injury, Shreyas Iyer was enjoying a purple patch with the bat, as well as with the captaincy hat. After leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL trophy in 2024, Iyer took Punjab Kings (PBKS) to their first IPL final after a decade in 2025. Later, he also led SoBo Mumbai Falcons to the T20 Mumbai 2025 final.
Iyer guided Central Zone too, in the Duleep Trophy 2025, before India A’s 2-1 win against Australia A. His performances throughout the past 12-18 months have been phenomenal, including India’s title-winning campaign of the Champions Trophy 2025.
After the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, India will enter T20I mode. They will host the Kiwis for five matches in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in February 2026. Soon, the Indian Premier League 2026 will begin. This means that there will be less game time for Iyer in ODIs in the months to come.
The No.4 batter played his last Test in February 2024, while his last T20I match was in December 2023. With Iyer playing a solitary format now, and a prolonged injury setback and recovery time, he will have to search for form before directly making an India return. This, subsequently, may also affect his central contract with the BCCI, the one with which he has already suffered inconsistency in the past couple of cycles.
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