Shreyas Iyer raises concerns around his fitness with 'top hand wasn't working' remark

Shreyas Iyer marked his return to the Indian cricket team with a century in the second ODI against Australia in Indore, his first hundred since recovering from injury. Batting at the number three position, Iyer scored a magnificent 105 runs from 90 deliveries, featuring 11 boundaries and three sixes. This century was his third in ODI cricket for India.

3 things you need to know

• India are playing a three-match ODI series against Australia
• India won the first match to take a 1-0 lead in the series
• India posted a mammoth 399/5 in 50 overs in the 2nd game

Also Read: IND Vs AUS 2nd ODI: Shreyas Iyer Answers His Critics In Style With 3rd ODI Hundred

Shreyas Iyer raises serious injury concern

However, despite his impressive performance, Iyer raised fitness concerns after achieving this milestone in his comeback series. During the mid-innings break, Iyer mentioned that he had been struggling with cramps, which affected his ability to grip the bat firmly. Despite these challenges, Iyer managed to complete his century in the match. Nevertheless, this situation may be a cause for concern for the Indian team management, as they would prefer to have a fully fit Iyer ahead of the upcoming ODI World Cup.

"My focus was on the cramps, it wasn't allowing me to hold (the bat) firmly. I was almost out caught and bowled, I realised that my top hand wasn't working. When I was reaching the boundary line, I decided I am going to try and smash every ball. I felt that I got the team in the right position. I was happy throughout the innings. My mindset was to play the ball in the V. I wasn't focusing a lot on hitting the ball hard, I wanted to time it. I was experiencing variable bounce. Thankfully we were able to take that momentum towards our side," Shreyas Iyer said. 

"Shubman and I, we played a pretty decent knock in the middle and we laid a great platform and steadied the ship for the team. The other batsmen came in and expressed themselves. I got a great start and after that I was trying to play the ball on its merit. Shubman took on the charge and he was dictating the terms in the middle phase and then again I took the momentum. It was like creating great rhythm between each other. It worked out for the team. Every individual stepped up to the occasion. When I went in to bat, there was variable bounce. Pretty hard to judge. I think we have a defendable total on the board," he added. 

Also Read: WATCH: KL Rahul Hits Gigantic Six Out Of The Stadium As India Take Australia For Cleaners

Iyer's continued struggles with injuries

Iyer had suffered an injury during a Test series against Australia in March this year. His comeback to international cricket took place during the Asia Cup 2023. Regrettably, the Mumbai batsman's return was short-lived as he was sidelined due to a back spasm after just two games. He made his way back into the playing XI for the ODI series against Australia in the absence of some senior players.

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