IPL 2021: I will be back in no time, says Shreyas Iyer after surgery
Indian batsman and Delhi Capitals captain's return may take four-five months
Kolkata: Shreyas Iyer, India's top order batsman and Delhi Capitals skipper, struck an upbeat note after a successful surgery on his left shoulder in Mumbai on Thursday. He had suffered a partial dislocation to the shoulder while fielding in the first One-day International against England in Pune last month.
''Surgery was a success and with lion-hearted determination, I will be back in no time. Thank you for wishes,'' Iyer tweeted with a photo of him at the Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon who is one of the members on ICC's medical panel, performed the surgery.
It will be a long road back for the 26-year-old, a permanent fixture in India's batting line-up in white ball cricket, to complete his rest and rehab process - ruling him out of the entire IPL. Delhi Capitals, who has named Rishabh Pant as the stand-in skipper for the season, has significantly not named any replacement for him in the squad while he will be receiving his full payment of Rs 70 million for 2021 as per the BCCI guidelines.
It's too early to surmise a return to competitive cricket for him, though medical sources reveal it may take upto four to five months. The T20 home series against New Zealand and South Africa in September are being touted as possible dates of his return, meaning he could be in the reckoning for what could be his first senior World Cup (World T20) in October-January.
“Absolutely devastated and gutted for our skipper Shreyas Iyer – stay strong captain – hope for a very quick recovery. Have full faith that you will come back even stronger from this. India needs you in the T20 World Cup,” Parth Jindal, co-owner of the Delhi franchise, had tweeted in late March after the prognosis of Iyer's injury.
GMR Aerocity as sponsors
Delhi Capitals on Saturday added GMR Aerocity, the commercial district located next to the Terminal 3 of Delhi Airport, as associate sponsors of the franchise for the ongoing edition. This partnership marks the first time GMR Aerocity is associating with a sports team.
“We are delighted to announce GMR Aerocity as our associate sponsor,” says Delhi Capitals CEO Vinod Bisht. “Delhi’s famed aerocity is synonymous with modernity and captures the city’s cosmopolitan essence. It is a true embodiment of our slogan “Yeh Hai Nayi Dilli”, not only providing the people of Delhi with a world-class commercial hub but also serving as a fitting introduction to those visiting the city. I am confident of a successful partnership and look forward to working together to take our team to greater heights,” he added.