[Picture] Shreyas Iyer attends SAFF Championship semifinal between India and Lebanon

Team India middle order batter Shreyas Iyer, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, attended the SAFF Championship semi-final tie between India and Lebanon at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Saturday, July 1.

In a picture shared on Instagram, Iyer was seen supporting the Indian football team from the stands.

For the uninitiated, Shreyas Iyer recently underwent a successful surgery to recover from his recurring back injury, which continued to trouble him from December to March.

The injury first ruled him out for the limited-overs series against New Zealand and then recurred during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. As a result, the Kolkata Knight Riders skipper missed the entire IPL 2023.

As per reports, Iyer is currently undergoing physiotherapy at the NCA. The right-handed batter, though, is unlikely to be available for the 2023 Asia Cup after missing out on India’s tour of the West Indies.

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Why is Shreyas Iyer key to India's success at 2023 ODI World Cup?

Shreyas Iyer’s fitness has put a question mark on his place in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The Men in Blue lack a proper No.4 batter to fill the shoes of Iyer.

The right-handed batter has been impressive in ODIs, scoring 1,631 runs in 42 ODIs at an average of 46.6, including two tons and 14 half-centuries. In 2022, Iyer amassed 724 runs in 17 games at an average of 55.69.

Iyer’s presence will be crucial for the Men in Blue since wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is yet to regain his fitness after surviving a car accident last December.

In Iyer’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav has failed to grab the opportunities with both hands. The Mumbai batter registered three consecutive golden ducks against Australia at home earlier this year. The 32-year-old has, so far, amassed 433 runs in 23 ODIs at an average of 24.06, including two half-centuries.

Team India suffered a similar fate ahead of the 2019 World Cup when they lacked No.4 for the tournament. All-rounder Vijay Shankar, who was picked for the role, scored just 58 runs in three games before India crashed out after losing to New Zealand in the semi-finals.