Shreyas Iyer, Team India batter and Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain, stated how challenging it was for him to make a comeback after suffering a serious injury. This came during a PBKS presser before the start of the IPL 2026 season.

Shreyas Iyer was trusted with Punjab Kings captaincy after they bought him for INR 26.75 crores in the IPL 2025 auction, and Iyer repaid the faith by taking the team to the final, where they were bested by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Shreyas Iyer talked about the challenging time he faced after suffering a serious spleen injury during an ODI match in Australia and the process of regaining his full fitness and coming back to the cricket field.

"It is always challenging to come back after an injury. I had lost around 7 kg due to the injury, which was a severe one. Thankfully, I was back in good shape after two months.

But gaining those 7 kg back took a lot of effort. I enjoy challenges, and that was one I had to overcome. I am glad I came through that phase and am back representing my team and also having represented India in the previous series,” Shreyas Iyer said in the presser.

After a runner-up finish, Iyer knows that fans are expecting the side to do even better this year.

"Expectations are high, which is fun. I love the challenge. But the important thing is that whenever we step in, we have to win. My eye is on the trophy. This is the period where we live as a family for two months," he added.

The time spent together in the team hotel is equally as crucial as the practice sessions, according to Shreyas Iyer.

"This is the period where we live as a family for two months. The more time we spend together, the more we get to know each other. Now is the time when we build that camaraderie. We spend most of our time in the game room, playing FIFA and other games. The planning and plotting for matches usually happens a day or two before the game, but building this bond off the field helps us get better results eventually,” Iyer said.

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(ANI inputs)