When Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer landed awkwardly while taking that spectacular catch in Sydney, fans thought he might have just bruised his ribs. But it turned out to be something much more serious; a spleen injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later confirmed that he suffered a laceration, or tear, to his spleen.

So, what exactly does that mean? And why are doctors keeping such a close watch on him? Let's break it down.

What is the spleen and what does it do?

The spleen is a soft, fist-sized organ that sits just under the left side of the ribs. It has two main jobs; to help fight infections and filters the blood by removing old or damaged red blood cells. Because it is full of blood vessels, it’s one of the body’s most delicate organs.

That’s why a strong impact

See Full Page