Team India’s ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is currently recovering from an injury and undergoing treatment in a Sydney hospital. He was injured during the match against Australia while attempting to take a catch. Reports suggest that he suffered an injury below his left rib, which required surgery. His treatment is still underway in Sydney, and according to the latest updates, he has been discharged from the ICU. But a common question arises — who bears the cost of his medical treatment? Is it Iyer himself or someone else? Let’s understand how this works.
Who Pays for an Injured Player’s Medical Expenses?
Whenever an Indian cricketer gets injured during an international tour, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) covers all medical expenses. According to the BCCI’s medical insurance policy, all players listed under the central contract are entitled to full medical coverage for any injuries sustained while playing for India.
Additionally, during the rehabilitation phase, the BCCI also bears the cost of recovery and therapy. The board even compensates players for the match fees they miss due to injury.
For instance, after Shreyas Iyer’s injury in Sydney, the BCCI’s medical team immediately coordinated with top specialists in Australia to start his treatment. Once players return to India, they continue rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru — again, at no personal cost.
Even players who are not part of the central contract list are covered by a insurance policy, though their benefits and coverage are more limited compared to contracted players.
How Shreyas Iyer Got Injured?
The incident occurred during the third ODI match in Sydney. Iyer sustained a lower left rib cage injury while attempting a difficult running catch to dismiss Alex Carey off Harshit Rana’s bowling. Though he initially walked off the field with assistance from the physio, his condition later deteriorated as his vital parameters dropped, prompting immediate hospitalization.
Iyer’s Current Condition
Reports indicate that Shreyas Iyer’s condition was serious due to internal bleeding, which is why he was admitted to the ICU of a Sydney hospital. Now, he has been shifted out of the ICU and is now in a stable condition.
“He has been shifted out of ICU and may take a few more days before he is discharged from hospital in Sydney,” a BCCI source privy to the development told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Though he’s now stable, there’s a strong possibility that he may miss the ODI series against South Africa, scheduled from November 30 to December 6.
