‘Took a lot of effort….’: Shreyas Iyer on injury recovery ahead of IPL 2026
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Took a lot of effort….’: Shreyas Iyer on injury recovery ahead of IPL 2026")
Shreyas Iyer Photograph: (AFP)
Shreyas Iyer has returned from a challenging injury break and is ready to lead Punjab Kings once again, focusing on taking the team a step further in IPL 2026.
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer opened up about his recovery struggle after suffering a spleen injury in the third ODI of India’s Australia tour, which caused him to lose nearly seven kilograms and sidelined him for months. At one point, he was even admitted to the ICU in a Sydney hospital before being discharged. Speaking at an event in Mohali ahead of IPL 2026, Iyer said returning after such an injury was not easy and explained that although he regained fitness in about two months, but putting the lost weight back on required a lot of effort. He added that he enjoys challenges and felt proud to overcome this phase and return to playing, including representing India again in a recent series.
“It’s always challenging to come back after an injury. I had lost around seven kg due to the injury, it was a severe one,” Iyer said in Mohali, ahead of the start of IPL 2026 next week.
“Thankfully, I was back in good shape after two months. But gaining those 7 kg back took a lot of effort. I enjoy challenges, and that was one I had to overcome. I’m glad I came through that phase and am back representing my team, and also having represented India in the previous series. I feel proud of myself.”
After leading Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title and taking Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, expectations are high from Iyer this season. He said the team’s main goal is to win the trophy and that he enjoys the pressure that comes with it.
“Expectations are high, which is fun. I love the challenge. But the important thing is that whenever we step in, we have to win. My eye is on the trophy,” Iyer said before opening up on the importance of team bonding activities.
Trending Stories
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
Iyer also highlighted the importance of team bonding and said that spending time together helps players understand each other better. He mentioned that much of their free time is spent playing games like FIFA, while match strategies are usually discussed before to match days. According to him, building strong relationships off the field eventually leads to better performances on it.
“This is the period where we live as a family for two months. The more time we spend together, the more we get to know each other. Now is the time where we build that camaraderie. We spend most of our time in the game room, playing FIFA and other games. The planning and plotting for matches usually happens a day or two before the game, but building this bond off the field helps us get better results eventually,” he added.
