India’s vice-captain Shreyas Iyer hurt himself badly after putting his body on the line to take a spectacular diving catch, running backwards.
The moment of breathtaking athleticism put an end to Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey during the third and final ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the 33rd over of Australia’s innings when Alex Carey attempted to take on debutant Harshit Rana. On the fourth delivery, Carey tried to slap a short ball outside off down the ground, but the shot took a thick top edge and flew toward deep third.
Showing tremendous commitment, Iyer, who was standing at backward point, sprinted back with the ball swirling over his shoulder, kept his eyes firmly on it, and launched himself full length to complete a sensational tumbling catch. It was a moment of pure brilliance that lifted India in the field – but celebrations were cut short almost instantly.
Iyer remained on the ground, clutching his rib area, clearly in discomfort. The immense pain was quite evident in his grimace. Teammates quickly rushed to his aid as the physio sprinted onto the field. After receiving on-field attention, the 29-year-old was seen walking off the ground, accompanied by the team’s medical staff, visibly in pain.
The stunning catch marked the dismissal of Carey, who departed after a promising start (24 off 37), but India’s joy was tempered by concern for their vice-captain’s well-being.
Iyer has been in strong form in the series, both as a leader and a batter, and his injury will be a cause for concern ahead of India’s upcoming assignments. The extent of the damage is yet to be confirmed, with updates from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) expected later.
Iyer’s availability during India’s chase will also be crucial. He had scored a pretty solid 61 in the second ODI in Adelaide.