“I was totally paralysed in one leg” - Shreyas Iyer makes a startling revelation on his back injury

Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has made a startling revelation about his back injury, which resulted in one leg being paralysed in 2023, turning out to be a career-threatening injury for him.

Advertisment

While Iyer was ruled out of the whole IPL 2023 season for the Knight Riders, he made a strong comeback in the 2024 season, lifting the IPL title for the Knight Riders. Later, he propelled the PBKS franchise to the grand finale in the IPL 2025 season.

Notably, in the IPL 2025, Iyer emerged as the sixth-highest run-scorer, amassing 604 runs in 17 matches at an average of 50.33, a strike rate of 175.07, and six half-centuries. His best score was 97*, which came against the Gujarat Titans.

"No one can understand the pain I went through. I was totally paralysed in one leg. With spine surgery, you can place a rod in the back and still manage. But a snapped nerve, which is what I had, is really, really dangerous. The pain was horrendous, running all the way down to my tiny toe. It was so scary," Iyer told GQ India.

"People see athletes as robots who have to perform in every game. They don't know what's happening behind the scenes,” he added.

Furthermore, Iyer also talked about his omission from the Indian T20I squad for the Asia Cup 2025 campaign despite having an exceptional IPL 2025 season for PBKS. Moreover, he also talked about his captaincy philosophy.

"I can only control the controllable. I can only keep working on my skills and strength, and when the opportunity arises, I'll grab it with both hands," he said.

Advertisment

"I offer a lot as a captain and player. If I get respect, anything can be accomplished," he concluded.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky247 India and download the Sky247 app to start betting today!