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Shreyas Iyer ended up injuring himself while going for a valiant catch during the 3rd ODI vs Australia on Saturday. What many felt was a minor issue turned out to be a massive injury to the rib cage, which caused spleen laceration and internal bleeding. So much so that the middle-order batsman had to be rushed to the hospital in Sydney and admitted to the ICU.

Also Read: Explained: What is a spleen laceration and how serious is Shreyas Iyer's injury?

The BCCI has stated that he is under treatment, medically stable, and recovering well, but is expected to remain under observation in the Sydney hospital for at least a week before a decision is made on his return to India. The BCCI Medical Team and the Indian Team Doctor are closely monitoring his progress. And while fans will be thrilled to know that the batter is out of danger, India will miss his presence in the team in the upcoming ODIs against South Africa.

The first ODI is scheduled on November 30, and while initial reports claimed that Shreyas Iyer will be back in around 3 weeks, the escalation of the seriousness of the injury means that India's no. 4 will not be returning anytime soon.

That leaves the Indian selectors in a pickle. With a plethora of talented middle-order options to choose from, who will make it to the Indian ODI squad to replace the dependable Shreyas Iyer?

1. Rishabh Pant

Out with an injury that he suffered against England during the Tendulkar-Anderson series earlier this year, Rishabh Pant will be excited to make a return to the ODI format for India after being out of the playing XI for more than a year. His last appearance was against Sri Lanka in August 2024. While he is a regular in the test side, a chance in ODIs might just be what he needs to regain his place in the white-ball formats.

2. Tilak Varma

The most likely option considering his rise in the T20Is side over the last 12 months. The hero of the 2025 Asia Cup Final over Pakistan, his contributions in the middle order for India, while others around him have been struggling, always stand out. With an immense ability to shift gears from anchoring an innings to smashing the ball, Tilak Varma was recently touted by chief selector Ajit Agarkar as being close to making a break into the ODI side.

3. Riyan Parag

The Assamese cricketer offers something that his competitors don't. That being his ability to be an extra bowler. Having played one ODI for India before in 2024, where he picked up 3 scalps, he is a great option to replace Shreyas Iyer. His batting paid dividends against Australia A, where he scored 3 back-to-back half-centuries a few weeks ago.

4. Sai Sudharsan

The Tamil Nadu cricketer has phased into the Indian test side seamlessly and is making the number 3 spot his own. His batting style, however, suits the 50-over format the best and could be an option for the selectors against South Africa. Sai Sudharsan has an average of 60.69 in the format of List A cricket and can anchor the innings with relative ease.