Shreyas Iyer opened up on his road to recovery after undergoing back surgery in April which made him miss several crucial matches including the entire IPL 2023 and the World Test Championship Final where India suffered a heartbreaking defeat. Iyer shared the details of his roller-coaster journey as he revealed that he suffered pain for almost three months after that.
“Post-surgery, I was there for three weeks in London because the doctor had to check the progress over some time. So, after three weeks, he was happy, and he asked me to come back (return to India. And then, the physios took over at the NCA,” Iyer said in a video posted by BCCI.
Iyer said that recovery post-surgery was not easy either as it took time for the pain to subside, and he had also panicked at one point.
“It was a roller-coaster ride. The pain was there until three months, and then after that, it started subsiding.
“But, at the same time, the physios were focused on getting the range back of my hamstring and glutes and everything. When you are going through a rehab, especially as a professional athlete, it is tough when the pain is not subsiding,” he added.
The 28-year-old admitted that he panicked during the recovery period but his friends and support staff helped him to remain calm.
“Thankfully, I had a great set of friends around me and support staff and also my family. They were the ones who calmed me down in this situation, and I was panicking as well,” he added.
“But, patience is the key at this point, especially. So yeah, I’m truly happy to be where I am right now because I never imagined that I would recover so fast.”
Speaking about the “testing phase” at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) here, Iyer termed it as his toughest period.
“The testing phase was the toughest period to go through, and the physios and the trainers were pretty confident about me coming back strong. But, in my mind, I could feel the pain.
“So, I was pretty oblivious at that point of time whether I would pass the test or not. But, over some time, I realised that the pain is subsiding and my strength is improving in my leg,” he said.
Iyer revealed that it was tough for him during the first session but things improved for him gradually in the next sessions.
“So gradually, as we started doing some running sessions, the first session was extremely tough. I was a bit perplexed then.
“Second session, I was progressing. I did some trial yo-yo tests, and gradually, after some time, I played a match, and then, I was gaining that momentum. Then, in the yo-yo test, I surprised myself as well,” he added.
The 28-year-old played his last international match in March during the Test series against Australia but he is raring to make his comeback with Asia Cup which will be crucial for India considering the upcoming ODI World Cup.
However, he is not thinking too far ahead and prefers staying in the present.
“For me, it is important right now to be in the present and do my routines right. I don’t want to think what is going to happen beyond and what has happened in the past.
“I am 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 embracing every moment,” concluded Iyer.
India’s Asia Cup contingent is undergoing a week-long conditioning camp in Bengaluru from August 23-29 and will open their campaign on September 2 against Pakistan.
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