IND vs AUS 2022-23: Does Shreyas Iyer's resurfaced back pain makes him doubtful for ODI series?

The Team India and National Cricket Academy's (NCA's) injury management has again come under the scanner following the recurrence of middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer's back injury. Pain in his lower back compelled Iyer to miss his batting turn on Day 4 of the fourth Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

There is an increased probability that Iyer could miss out on the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series versus Australia, beginning Friday in Mumbai. With the ICC World Cup being the most momentous event of the year and the player set to captain former two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), it would be wary if he takes a rest for some time.

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"Shreyas Iyer complained of pain in his lower back following the third day's play. He has gone for scans, and the BCCI Medical Team is monitoring him," the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had informed in a medical update. Iyer's injury came to light after wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat came out to bat ahead of him after all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's (28) dismissal in the morning session.

Iyer could not feature in the opening Nagpur Test due to a back issue but returned for the second Delhi Test. However, the more powerful query now is whether NCA once again gave the go-ahead to a player who isn't completely healthy. It is understood that Iyer sensed distress on Saturday, so Jadeja was elevated to the fifth slot.

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On Sunday, Iyer didn't even arrive at the ground as he was in no position to bat. "Yes, it could be a case of the injury resurfacing after fielding for nearly 170 overs during the Australian innings. But, I fail to understand why was the earlier norm of making it mandatory to play at least one domestic game wasn't made applicable for Iyer?" a former national selector apprised PTI.

Iyer played in Delhi and Indore, but his body didn't go through the stringencies like in Ahmedabad. When he initially had the lower back issue in January, Iyer was out for a month and underwent intense rehabilitation at the NCA—by the time he was publicised fit, the Ranji Trophy season had finished anyway.

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"But, you had an Irani Cup happening, and you could have waited for Iyer's comeback and let him play Irani Cup in similar weather conditions and maybe see how the body holds while being on the field for two days in humid conditions," the selector concluded.

(With inputs from PTI)