Shreyas Iyer admits to “panicking” about his back injury and says he “never imagined” he would heal so quickly. Iyer is presently taking part in a six-day conditioning camp in Bengaluru for India’s Asia Cup-bound squad.
After the fourth Border-Gavaskar Test matchup with Australia in March, Iyer’s injury deteriorated. He was said to have initially been eager to investigate non-surgical alternatives to treat the condition in an effort to be ready for at least the second half of IPL 2023. He had to reconsider, though, because of the “excruciating pain” brought on by a slipped disc, keeping in mind the “long years” he still had left as an athlete.
Iyer said to the BCCI website, “I had this problem for a while, but I was taking injections and going through various methods to make sure that I was solid and playing many more matches. But it got to the point where I realized I needed surgery. Okay, now I have to get surgery. And the physiotherapists and experts, the back experts, advised me that it was crucial to get surgery to end this.
“Specifically, I had a slipped disc that was compressing a nerve and causing me to feel pain all the way down to the bottom of my little toe. To be honest, it was horrible. I was in such terrible pain at that moment. I was unable to articulate what I was going through clearly.
Iyer had surgery in London in April and remained there for three weeks afterward so that the staff there could keep track of his recovery. He then enrolled in a three-month rehabilitation program at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. After a number of practice matches, Nitin Patel, the head of NCA’s medical team, gave Iyer the final go-ahead, bringing that procedure to a close last week.
To be completely honest, Iyer stated, “It was a roller-coaster ride.” ” The discomfort started to lessen three months ago after being present for three months. However, the physiotherapists were also working to restore my hamstrings, glutes, and overall range of motion.
“When the pain is not getting better when you are through rehab as a professional athlete, it is difficult. I was fortunate to have a terrific group of friends, the support team, as well as my family, close by. They were the ones who helped me become peaceful. Although I was also in a panic, now is the time to practice patience. So yeah, I’m really thrilled with where I am now since I never thought I would get better so quickly.
Iyer acknowledges experiencing stress while in recovery.
Iyer confesses to feeling overwhelmed during the rehab period. But in the end, his efforts paid off, and he was “surprised” by his results on the yo-yo test, which involves high-intensity sprints over a predetermined distance.
He claimed that the testing step was the most difficult part of the process. “The physiotherapists and trainers had a good feeling about my ability to recover quickly. But I could sense the ache in my mind. I wasn’t sure if I would pass the test at that point because I was so unaware of it. But after some time, I noticed the pain was going away and my leg strength was getting better.
“We gradually began holding running workouts. The first running session was very difficult, and I wasn’t sure what would happen at that point. I made progress with the second session. I performed some trial yo-yo tests, and after some time, I participated in a match, at which point I started to pick up speed. I was also startled by myself throughout the yo-yo test.
Iyer is focused on remaining in the now and not stressing about the baggage of the past as he prepares to reclaim his No. 4 slot in the ODI setup, which will help him make a pitch for a first World Cup berth.
“I enjoy my current situation. Day by day, I am doing all of my preparation tasks. I had two wonderful practice days with the boys. It was competitive, but I’m glad to be here and grateful for every second.
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