Shreyas Iyer Opens Up On Back Issues Post ODI World Cup 2023, Says ‘No One Was Agreeing To It’

Chennai: Star India batter Shreyas Iyer opened up on his back issue for the first time since he was dropped from the BCCI Central contract list, stating ‘no one’ agreed to him at that time. Iyer, who had a brilliant ODI World Cup last year complained of back pain soon after the tournament ended in November. This was at a time when BCCI had put out a directive that all the players who are fit and aren’t a part of the national squad should play domestic matches.

Despite Iyer complaining of back pain, the BCCI medical doctors declared the India batter fit, thus making a mockery of the situation. Although Iyer didn’t play a few games for Mumbai initially, he came back to play the final against Vidarbha and scored a 95 off 111 balls in the second innings.

“I was definitely struggling after the World Cup in the longer format,” Iyer, who is the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, told media on the eve of the IPL 2024 final on Saturday. “When I raised my concern, no one was agreeing to it. But at the same time the competition is with myself.

“When the IPL was approaching all I wanted to see was that I’ve put my best foot forward and whatever planning and strategising we (KKR) did before it, basically if we could execute it to the best of our abilities, we would have been in a great spot – and that’s where we are right now,” he added.

Iyer’s back injury dates back to the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2023 when he felt the pain during the fourth and final Test against Australia in Ahmedabad. It led him to miss the IPL last year and even went to United Kingdom for an operation. The right-hander made his comeback in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Iyer has been brilliant at KKR, leading the side to the final for the fourth time in history. On Sunday, KKR will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad for their third title at the MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chepauk.