Indian middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer makes a return to cricket in the upcoming Asia Cup, after being declared fit following a back surgery, and he spoke about his struggles while he was away from the game.
Iyer had a lengthy and arduous journey after he suffered from a slipped disc, which was followed by his surgery earlier this year. The 2023 Asia Cup, to be played in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, will be his first competitive appearance since the month of March.
Iyer had injured his back, and his spine, during the Ahmedabad Test against Australia in March, which ruled him out of action for the Indian Premier League, where he captains the Kolkata Knight Riders.
He also missed the World Test Championship final against Australia, as a result, in June. With the World Cup fast approaching, time was running out for Iyer, but his return will be a major boost to the Indian ODI team, who now have their reliable No.4 batter back in the squad.
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Shreyas Iyer plays an important role in India's batting lineup in the middle overs. His average against spin is an impressive 54.12 since 2020, the second-highest among all India batters with at least 400 runs balls faced in this period.
With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggling against the slower bowlers in the recent past, it will be imperative that Iyer holds one end up against spin. Looking at the overall numbers, he's done impressively well, scoring 1,630 runs in 38 innings with an average of 46.6.
Shreyas Iyer talks about struggles during injury
After coming back to the Indian team for the Asia Cup in 2023, Shreyas Iyer shared his struggles while injured and also talked about his ongoing journey as he gets ready to play.
“I don't want to think about what is going to happen beyond and what has happened in the past. I'm happy being where I am. I'm ticking all the boxes day by day. In terms of preparation, I had a fantastic two days of practice with the boys and also it was competitive. So happy to be here right now and embracing each and every moment,” he told BCCI.
Furthermore, Shreyas Iyer spoke about the details of his injury, explaining how he had to deal with intense pain because of a compressed nerve caused by a slipped disc in his spine. To tackle this issue, he had to undergo surgery, which happened in London back in May.
After the surgery, he went through a period of recovery and healing, with the National Cricket Academy looking after him.
Talking about the tough journey of getting back in shape, Iyer said, “As a professional athlete, it is tough when the pain is not subsiding. Thankfully I had a great set of friends around me and support staff and also my family,” he said.
“So they were the ones who calmed me down in this situation. I was panicking but patience is the key at this point in time especially. I'm truly happy to be where I am right now because I never imagined that I would recover so fast,” he concluded.
