“Regaining 7 Kgs Was Tough”: Punjab Kings Skipper Shreyas Iyer Reflects on Injury Comeback Ahead of IPL 2026

Shreyas Iyer has revealed the physical and mental toll that a serious injury he suffered during India’s ODI tour of Australia took on him. He said that he lost nearly seven kilograms during the recovery phase.

During the third ODI in Sydney, the Punjab Kings skipper sustained a spleen injury, which was later diagnosed as internal bleeding, and he had to be taken off the field. Due to this unfortunate incident, he was kept away from the game for several weeks and had to undergo a careful, extended rehabilitation period. He made a short mention of that time ahead of IPL 2026 and said it was one of the hardest challenges he had ever faced.

It is always difficult recovering from an injury, he said. Weight loss was quite dramatic, and it really took me by surprise. Although he was able to get back his overall fitness after a few months, adding the lost weight was a totally different story. In fact, Iyer claims that steadily gaining those seven kilograms back was a matter of working hard, being disciplined and having lots of patience over a period of time.

Despite Iyer’s initial difficulties, he saw them as opportunities to lift his spirits and stay positive. He mentioned that facing such hurdles is what makes a sports person go, and he was quite pleased to be able to get back to full working condition again. His comeback at the beginning of January gave him sufficient time to get into his groove and gear up for the upcoming IPL season.

I Like Challenges: Shreyas Iyer

Now, as the captain of Punjab Kings, Iyer wants to be a game-changer. He admitted that there are strict standards set for him, but he still emphasised that he works best when he is under pressure. “I like challenges, ” he said, expressing his resolve to lead by example.

Besides the playing part, Iyer talked about the special bonding within the team during the IPL days, when a team is almost living the family life for two months. That feeling of togetherness alongside his personal rejuvenation got him quite confident as IPL was getting started.

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