Shreyas Iyer’s Oxygen Level Dropped to 50 After Injury, Doubtful for South Africa ODIs

India's ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer remains sidelined from competitive cricket as he continues his recovery from a severe abdominal injury sustained during the third ODI against Australia in Sydney on October 25, 2025, with reports indicating his oxygen levels plummeted to a critical 50, rendering him unable to stand for nearly 10 minutes amid a chaotic scene on the field. The 30-year-old Mumbai batter, who was attempting a diving catch to dismiss Alex Carey off Harshit Rana's bowling, thudded onto the grass after securing the skier, clutching his left rib cage in agony before being escorted off by physio Kamlesh Jain. Initial assessments revealed a laceration to his spleen causing internal bleeding, necessitating immediate hospitalisation and a minor procedure to arrest the haemorrhage, as confirmed in a BCCI statement shortly after the incident. Discharged last week following a stint in intensive care, Iyer returned to India under close medical supervision, where his progress is being monitored daily by specialists, including Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala.

The gravity of Iyer's condition became apparent post-incident, when his vitals dipped alarmingly—oxygen saturation at 50 triggered a "complete blackout" around him, with team sources describing a 10-minute window of disorientation where he struggled to regain footing amid blurred vision and shortness of breath. This splenic rupture, a rare but life-threatening fielding mishap, echoes past cricket scares like Luke Ronchi's 2017 spleen tear, but swift intervention by Sydney's Dr Koroush Haghighi and remote guidance from Indian experts stabilised him overnight. Iyer's absence from the field for the remainder of Australia's innings underscored the injury's immediacy, with scans confirming no further complications beyond the controlled bleed. While he scored a gritty 61 in the series opener in Adelaide—part of a century stand with Rohit Sharma—his tour was cut short, highlighting the physical toll on middle-order anchors who often push boundaries in the outfield.

Board officials, prioritising long-term fitness over hasty returns, have deemed Iyer unlikely to feature in the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting November 30 in Ranchi, followed by games in Raipur and Visakhapatnam, as he requires at least another month to achieve full match readiness. "The board and selection committee don’t want to rush him back after the injury," a senior official told The Indian Express, noting his ongoing rehab focuses on core strengthening to prevent recurrence, given his history of back niggles that prompted a six-month Test hiatus earlier this year. This timeline also casts doubt on his availability for the subsequent New Zealand ODIs in January 2026, potentially delaying his return until the England white-ball tour in July. Iyer's absence—after amassing 496 ODI runs in 2025 at an average of 55.11—poses a selection headache for captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir, with stand-ins like KL Rahul or emerging talents such as Sai Sudharsan eyed for the No. 4 slot in a post-Virat Kohli middle order.

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Amid the uncertainty, Iyer projected optimism in a social media update on November 10, posting a sunlit selfie with the caption: "The sun's been great therapy. Grateful to be back. Thanks for all the love and care," a nod to his gradual resumption of light activities like walking and breathing exercises under Mumbai's physio guidance. Fans and peers, including Rohit Sharma, who dedicated the series win to him, have rallied with messages of support, underscoring Iyer's resilience as Punjab Kings captain and a linchpin in India's 2023 ODI World Cup triumph. His recovery trajectory, while cautious, aligns with medical norms for splenic injuries—typically 4-6 weeks of rest before graded training—offering hope for a 2026 resurgence, including the Champions Trophy. As India shifts focus to the Border-Gavaskar Test opener on November 14, Iyer's ordeal serves as a stark reminder of cricket's unforgiving physicality, prompting renewed emphasis on on-field medical protocols and player welfare in an era of relentless schedules.

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