Shreyas Iyer is expected to join the Kolkata Knight Riders camp in Calcutta within a day or two after having complained of back pain in the Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha which ended on Thursday.
The KKR captain, who missed the last season because of a back injury, could not take the field on the last two days of the final. Iyer had scored a whirlwind 95 off 111 balls in Mumbai’s second innings on the third day.
It was learnt that Iyer has shown remarkable improvement and will join his teammates at the franchise shortly. The camp begins on Friday with a practice session at Eden Gardens.
Iyer dancing to the tune of the drum beats and celebrating at the Wankhede after Mumbai’s 42nd Ranji title on Thursday was widely circulated on social media, though the KKR camp remained tightlipped on his condition.
“He will be available from the first match itself. As of now, there’s nothing to worry,” a source told The Telegraph. “His staying off the field in the Ranji final was more of a precautionary measure.”
It is understood that Iyer will not be going to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore for consultation and check-up. Since he is no more a contracted player of the BCCI, he cannot avail the facilities there for free and his recommendation has to come through his state association.
Iyer was dropped from the Test squad after the second game against England. He later complained of back pain when playing long innings though the medical team at the NCA found nothing worrisome and cleared him of any discomfort.
He missed Mumbai’s last Ranji Trophy league match citing back spasms. However, he attended KKR’s pre-season camp in Mumbai during the same time which didn’t go down well with the BCCI.
Secretary Jay Shah sent a letter to the contracted players and those in the reckoning for a national berth warning them of “severe implications” if they didn’t make themselves available for domestic cricket and prioritised IPL.
Iyer was left out of the Board’s list of annual player contracts for the 2023-24. He missed the Ranji quarter-final as well, but played in the semi-final and the final.
