Image Credit- PTI
For the second day
in a straight, Shreyas Iyer did not take the pitch during Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy
final at the Wankhede Stadium versus Vidarbha.
On the third day, Iyer’s rapid 95 runs off 111 balls in Mumbai’s second innings
helped establish a record-breaking 538 for Vidarbha. However, he missed
Wednesday’s game due to back discomfort. Iyer was expected to be ready to play
on Thursday after receiving some treatment during the day, according to
information obtained by sources. However, that did not take place.
He initially complained of back pain following the second Test matchup with
England, particularly during extended innings. At the time, the medical team of
the BCCI ruled out any harm to him, but the selectors left him out of the squad
for the remaining three Tests.
Iyer then had back
spasms and missed Mumbai’s final Ranji Trophy league match. He did, however, go
to the pre-season training of the Kolkata Knight Riders, the team he will
captain in the 2024 Indian Premier League.
His decision to forego playing Ranji Trophy matches despite not being
preoccupied with international cricket did not sit well with the management. As
a result, BCCI secretary Jay Shah wrote a letter to the nation’s best players,
admonishing them of the “severe implications” that would follow if
they chose to prioritise the IPL over domestic cricket. Iyer played in both the
semifinal and championship games, although he missed Mumbai’s subsequent
quarterfinal as well. Among the well-known individuals removed from the roster
of players under central contract was Iyer.
In the ongoing title
contest, Mumbai are in a strong position, having set Vidarbha a massive target
and then reduced them to 248 for 5 going into the last day.