Shreyas Iyer bares his heart about untold struggle behind his comeback and Asia Cup omission

A day before the Asia Cup 2025 kicks off, Shreyas Iyer opened up about one of the toughest phases of his career. Despite being a key performer for India in the Champions Trophy earlier this year and leading Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final, the India batter found himself surprisingly left out of the 15-man Asia Cup squad. Instead, he has been named captain of India A for multi-day matches against Australia A starting September 16—a stark reminder of the brutal competition in Indian cricket, where even top players can be sidelined.

However, Iyer’s current setback is minor compared to the ordeal he endured in 2023. After finishing as India’s second-highest run-scorer in the home World Cup, he suffered a serious back injury that nearly ended his career. The injury worsened to the point where one of his legs became paralysed. Following extensive rehabilitation, he managed a remarkable return, though not without heavy costs: the Kolkata Knight Riders released him despite his instrumental role in their title win, and he was also dropped from the BCCI Central Contracts list.

“I went through indescribable pain. My entire leg was paralysed. While spine surgery allows for rods to be placed, a snapped nerve, which I had, is far more dangerous. The pain shot all the way down to my smallest toe. It was terrifying,” Iyer revealed in a recent candid interview.

Last year, Iyer found redemption when he became the second-most expensive IPL acquisition ever, bought for Rs 26.75 crore. Yet, the India squad omissions continued, not only for the Asia Cup but also for the Test series in England—a surprising exclusion given Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s retirements that created openings in the middle order. India held their ground, but Shreyas’s return to the Test arena remains uncertain.

“I can only focus on what I can control. I’ll keep improving my skills and fitness, and when the chance comes, I’ll seize it,” Iyer concluded.