Could Have Been Fatal! Shreyas Iyer in ICU After Rib Cage Injury Against Australia

India's ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer has been hospitalised in Sydney and is currently under intensive care after sustaining a serious rib cage injury during the third ODI against Australia on Saturday.

The 31-year-old cricketer, who took a stunning running catch to dismiss Alex Carey, reportedly suffered internal bleeding as a result of the impact and was immediately rushed to the hospital after returning to the dressing room.

According to reports, Iyer has been in the ICU for the past couple of days as doctors continue to monitor his condition closely.

"Shreyas has been in ICU for the past couple of days. After the reports came in, internal bleeding was detected, and he had to be admitted immediately. He will remain under observation for anywhere between two to seven days depending on recovery, as one needed to stop spreading of infection due to bleeding," a source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The BCCI medical team acted swiftly when Iyer's vital parameters showed irregularities after the match. "The team doctor and physio didn't take any chances and took him to the hospital immediately. Things are stable now, but it could have been fatal. He's a tough lad and should be fine soon," the source added.

Initially, Iyer's injury was expected to keep him out of action for around three weeks. However, the internal bleeding has made the recovery timeline uncertain. "Since there has been internal bleeding, he will certainly need more time to recover, and at this point, it's difficult to put a definite timeline on his return to competitive cricket," the source further said.

Iyer is expected to remain in the Sydney hospital for at least a week before doctors deem him fit enough to travel back to India. Fortunately, the middle-order batter is not part of India's upcoming T20I squad, giving him some breathing space to focus on full recovery before the next international assignment.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the Indian camp, as Iyer has been one of the side's key middle-order stabilisers and a trusted deputy to captain Rohit Sharma in the 50-over format.