IPL 2024: Shreyas Iyer says he has recovered well, in high spirits ahead of KKR’s opening game against SRH

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Shreyas Iyer, who is making a comeback to competitive cricket after an injury, said he is in the best shape possible and is in the ‘good mindspace’ ahead of the 17th season of the Indian Premier League.

Iyer, leading KKR, will meet Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their first match of the Indian T20 league at Eden Gardens on March 23.

Iyer is troubled by a back injury that has resurfaced a couple of times in his career now. He missed the entire Indian Premier League season last year and underwent surgery on his back in April. He missed the World Test Championship final and slowly made a comeback into the Indian team for the Asia Cup and subsequently the 2023 World Cup too.

After the second India vs England Test match in Visakhapatnam, Iyer complained of back pain and was subsequently dropped from the Indian squad.

He played the Ranji Trophy Final earlier this month, but he had to take medical attention for his back a couple of times while batting. Although the National Cricket Academy (NCA) has issued a clearance for Iyer to play, the doctors have advised caution against playing shots where he has to take a huge stride forward.

Ahead of the match against SRH, Iyer sounded confident of his fitness and said he is in the best shape possible. “I don't want to think about what the doctor has said, what the injury was because, as I mentioned previously, when you overthink, put your focus on the injury, and in that moment, forget about what you’re doing the best. So, I want to put all these things aside and focus on what's there for me on the plate. I have ticked the boxes in every way possible so I am in high spirits,” Iyer told the media in the pre-match press conference.

The 29-year-old batter said his preparation for the league has been top notch. “Right now, if I look at myself, I feel that I’m in the best shape possible. I played so many years in the IPL so it’s not that I am completely distant from it. Personally, my preparation has been top-notch. I’ve been doing my training regularly, I have been hitting well and I have been batting for longer periods of time. So, that is something I am thriving on,” he explained.

KKR have the services of one of the world’s best pacers in the shortest format, Mitchell Starc, who is also the costliest player in the history of the league, and Iyer said having a bowler like Starc is a shot-in-the-arm for any captain. “When Starc is in, he brings a lot of advantage. He can bowl anywhere, be it in powerplay, middle overs, or death. He carries a lot of experience. It's good for our youngsters as well,” he explained.

With Gautam Gambhir being appointed as the mentor of KKR, Iyer is not short of motivation and strategies. Having won two IPL titles, Gambhir knows the tips and tricks of the trade and Iyer said he wouldn’t shy away from picking the former Delhi batter’s brains. “He (Gautam Gambhir) brings a lot of inputs. He is strategically strong, having won two IPL titles. He knows a lot about the venue, the opposition teams and along with Chandu sir (Chandrakant Pandit, head coach), he gives a lot of inputs,” he said.

This isn’t the first time Iyer and Gambhir are working together. The duo have shared the dressing room during their Delhi Daredevils (Capitals) days, and Iyer said Gambhir gives players the freedom to express themselves. “I have worked with him previously in a different franchise and I know what his mindset is. He is a fearless guy and he gives you a lot of freedom as a captain and also as a player. I am honoured to be playing under him and it gives a lot of pleasure for other players as well in the team to go and express themselves with freedom,” Iyer concluded.IPL 2024