So once again India won’t be at their full-strength, first-choice team that had been expected for the clash against Pakistan in the Super 4 round of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023. India didn’t have the availability of Shreyas Iyer on Sunday in Colombo as he got injured again.
It has been learned that Shreyas Iyer was set to play in the game, but he pulled up with a back spasm during the warm-up just ahead of the match. Thus, India quickly drafted in KL Rahul in the side and he is slotted at number 4.
KL Rahul himself is making his return after a thigh injury. However, KL Rahul was not picked in the XI initially that the management had decided as India went with Ishan Kishan, who has 4 fifties in 4 consecutive ODI innings, including in his last knock against Pakistan. But when Shreyas Iyer suffered a back spasm on the morning of the game – it’s believed that he pulled up with a back niggle just moments before toss – then India opted to bring in KL Rahul at number 4.
In the team sheet that has been circulated on social media, Shreyas Iyer was marked as number 4 and KL Rahul as number 13 and Suryakumar Yadav was marked at number 12. But with Iyer getting injured just before toss, Rahul came in and not Suryakumar while Ishan Kishan remains the wicket-keeper.
Nonetheless, this news of injury to Shreyas Iyer, who is already returning from a back surgery, is not a good news for the team with less than a month to go for the World Cup 2023.
This, though, created for some hilarious memes by fans on Twitter.
Here are the funny tweets on Shreyas Iyer’s injury for IND vs PAK match:
Team management and Rohit Sharma : Shreyas Iyer has developed back spasm. So, we are playing KL Rahul in his place.. #INDvPAK
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer: pic.twitter.com/pzQ2DEnPXC
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) September 10, 2023
Shreyas Iyer 👇 pic.twitter.com/OAWSg9RwjY
— Maarwadi🚩🚩 (@Marwadi99) September 10, 2023
kele rahul pic.twitter.com/0w3wA3zAMi
— Hunटरर ♂ (@nickhunterr) September 10, 2023
Shreyas Iyer : Koi mere ko to bata deta mere back pain hai 😭
— Updated Successfully (@GkMarwal) September 10, 2023
Rohit: ye hua nahi hai,lekin tujhe sabko yahi bolna hai
— Shivam (@theshivamtiwari) September 10, 2023
Seems like Shreyas Iyer was set to play and got a back spasm during warm up. Given the scratches in the batting position in the XI.
It's so frustrating..played just one game and again an injury scare. pic.twitter.com/BtNuQJeT7d
— Anuj Nitin Prabhu (@APTalksCricket) September 10, 2023
Shreyas Iyer learning about his injury while watching TV to see who won the toss. pic.twitter.com/1TFDjvMUSy
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) September 10, 2023
https://twitter.com/Vyas_108/status/1700800942226977087?s=20
I didn't know about my injury before the toss but Dr. Rohit Sharma told i have a back spasm during toss time .
– Shreyas Iyer . pic.twitter.com/uyfOexzlKy
— keval 18 (@kevalVK18) September 10, 2023
Indian selectors to Shreyas Iyer : #IndiavsPak pic.twitter.com/bObkT31XDF
— UmdarTamker (@UmdarTamker) September 10, 2023
Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Pakistan (Playing XI): Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
