Indian batter Shreyas Iyer recently shared his personal journey of grappling with persistent injuries. He shed light on the challenging phases that left him feeling lonely and isolated. In a heartfelt expression of gratitude, he acknowledged his family, physios, and trainers for their unwavering support and motivation.
Under immense pressure to perform, Shreyas showed his mettle during the second ODI against Australia in Indore. He smashed a remarkable 105 runs off 90 balls. His outstanding performance earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award. India secured a 99-run victory and clinched the three-match series with a game to spare.
Speaking at a post-match press conference, Shreyas candidly delved into the emotional turmoil of coping with multiple injury setbacks in recent months.
“Yes, that was undoubtedly a roller coaster ride. To be really honest, I want to praise myself for having confidence in my capabilities and outlook at that time. At that time, I was experiencing some loneliness, but I want to thank my family, my physiotherapists, and my trainers for being there for me and offering constant support. I’m appreciative of having them close by. All of these individuals cheered me up and inspired me to maintain my optimism,” he said.
After recovering from a back injury, the Indian team included Shreyas in the Asia Cup squad. Nevertheless, his comeback proved short-lived as he faced additional setbacks. He missed the Super 4 round matches as well as the final due to back spasms.
“My mind was fluctuating at times,” Shreyas Iyer frankly said. Despite his best efforts to remain positive, he acknowledged the wavering thoughts that occasionally clouded his mind. Nevertheless, he maintained his determination to block out external distractions.
“I always convince myself that the odds are against me. It has to do with my attitude and how I keep it, especially when things are tough. I’ve been anxiously anticipating this chance, and now I have one. Thankfully, I was able to get a century today. Even though my thoughts occasionally wandered, I made an effort to tune out the outside noise as much as I could. As they say, ignorance is bliss, I’m simply moving forward one step at a time, staying in the present and trying not to think about the past or the future,” he concluded.
In Indore, India scored 399/5 after Shreyas and Shubman Gill (104 off 97) added 200 for the second wicket. Australia was bowled out for 217 in 28.2 overs while attempting to chase a revised target of 317 in 33 overs.