Credit: Twitter
India’s star middle-order batsman, Shreyas Iyer, who has been named in the 17-man squad for the Asia Cup, opened up about his journey after a major back surgery. Iyer got injured during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and then had to opt for surgery. After the surgery, Iyer has been out of action for almost six months and will be making a comeback for the Indian team at the Asian Games.
Iyer reportedly underwent a successful surgery on April 18 in London but he had to go through a lot of rehabilitation before he could get match fit. As a result, he missed the entirety of the IPL, where Iyer plays a major captain’s role for the Kolkata Knight Riders. He also missed the prestigious ICC World Test Championship Final, which took place in June. He talked about his rehab process and surgery in the video posted by the BCCI.
The 28-year-old started off by describing his injury, he stated that he had a nerve compression just like a slipped disc at the back, and as a result, his nerve was getting compressed and he was feeling excruciating pain till the bottom of his last toe. Iyer also stated that he was unable to express himself properly because of the pain.
Iyer said that he was hospitalized for two days after the surgery and also had to stay in London for three weeks after that as the doctors were keeping a check on his progress. He recalled his first running session after the surgery and said that it was extremely tough, but the condition improved steadily, session by session.
“It is important right now to be in the present and do my routines right. I don't want to think about what is going to happen beyond, and what has happened in the past. I'm really happy to be here, and I'm embracing each and every moment," Iyer said in the video posted by the BCCI.
Watch the video here:
Shreyas Iyer has been an important part of the middle order in India’s batting lineup in recent years. His return to the national team will only boost its performance ahead of the two big tournaments, the Asia Cup and the World Cup. The Asia Cup will get underway on August 30, but India is scheduled to play their first match on September 2, against arch-rivals Pakistan. Iyer is likely to be included in the final XI and will bat at No. 4 or 5, depending on the situation.
