Injury Updates: Nitish Kumar Reddy Fit for T20Is, Shreyas Iyer Admitted in Sydney Hospital For Rib injury

The Indian cricket team received mixed news from Sydney after the third ODI against Australia. While Nitish Kumar Reddy has recovered well enough to stay available for the upcoming T20I series, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer has been admitted to a hospital in Sydney following a rib injury.

According to reports, Iyer suffered the injury while attempting a catch of Alex Carey off Harshit Rana’s bowling during the third ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The 30-year-old ran backwards to complete a fine diving catch but landed awkwardly on the ground. He was seen in clear discomfort and called for medical assistance immediately. At first, it appeared to be a hip injury, but later it was confirmed to be a rib injury.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released an official update during the match, stating, “Shreyas Iyer sustained an injury to his left rib cage while fielding. He has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation and assessment of his injury.”

As per Cricbuzz, Iyer is currently admitted to a hospital in Sydney, where he is being attended to by a doctor assigned by the BCCI. Some of his friends based in Australia are also by his side. The severity of the injury is still being assessed by doctors in both India and Australia, but early reports suggest that Iyer will need a few weeks to regain full fitness. This does not necessarily mean he will miss the upcoming series against South Africa, which begins on November 30.

Iyer was only part of the ODI squad and was expected to spend a few extra days in Australia before returning home. Once back in India, he may visit the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further rehabilitation and assessment. Fortunately, India’s next ODI is more than a month away, which gives him some time to recover completely.

On the other hand, young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who missed the third ODI due to a left quadriceps injury sustained in Adelaide, has been declared fit for the T20I series. The BCCI confirmed that the injury is not serious and that the medical team is monitoring him closely.

The statement from BCCI read, “Nitish Kumar Reddy sustained a left quadriceps injury during the second ODI in Adelaide and was subsequently unavailable for selection for the third ODI. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring him on a daily basis.”

As per the latest update, Nitish will continue to travel with the team for the five-match T20I series starting in Canberra on October 29. He may or may not feature in the opening game, but there is growing optimism that he will be fit to play in the later matches of the series.

With the T20I series set to begin soon, India will be hoping for Iyer’s speedy recovery and Nitish’s full fitness as they aim to maintain momentum against Australia in the shortest format.