Aoba Tanaka 
India’s injury concerns in the ongoing Test series against England intensify as Shreyas Iyer faces the prospect of being unavailable for the upcoming Rajkot Test due to back stiffness, as per sources from the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA).
Sources indicate that the National Cricket Academy (NCA) has communicated Iyer’s fitness issues to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The formal announcement of the squad for the third Test and beyond is pending, with the selectors yet to convene for the meeting. Originally scheduled for Thursday, the meeting is now expected to take place today, with the squad announcement following soon after.
This development marks another setback for Shreyas Iyer, who has grappled with back troubles over the past year. Last year, he missed the initial matches of the Border-Gavaskar series due to the same issue. The problem resurfaced during the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, leading Iyer to consider surgical intervention for recovery. His rehabilitation process extended, causing him to miss a significant portion of cricket until his return in August ahead of the Asia Cup.
Despite being without key players like Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Ravindra Jadeja in the Vizag Test, India managed to draw level in the series. The third Test is scheduled to commence on February 15 in Rajkot, with India hoping to overcome the challenges posed by the mounting injury concerns.
