The way you shape your mindset after an injury is important, says King Shreyas Iyer

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer is having a dream season not only as a player but also as a captain. The Mumbaikar has been able to lift his side up with his leadership skills on the field. He has stood up whenever the team has needed his batsmanship and has delivered. Iyer has been leading from the front and that has earned him his players’ loyalty.

The Kings are on the top of the IPL table with 13 points from seven games, the match against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out and Punjab got a point from that game. Otherwise, they have an unblemished record thus far in the season.

Punjab have played seven games thus far and Iyer has batted in six of those matches. He has scored four half-centuries with the highest of an unbeaten 71 against Delhi in the run-feast on April 25.  The only poor show came against Lucknow Super Giants where he made 5 and against Gujarat Titans in the opener where he fell for 18. Iyer has scores of 50, 69 not out, 66 and 71 not out.

Shreyas Iyer: For this year, the manifestation is to win the IPL as I want to lift the trophy

But Iyer has been plagued with injuries, which have happened at the wrong time of his career. He is, however, determined to prove doubters wrong and help his side lift their first-ever IPL trophy in the 2026 edition.

“I have people around me who say that in this situation, you can’t do it. It’s impossible. I don’t like hearing that. As a cricketer playing at the highest level, I just can’t accept it. Then in my mind, I decide that I have to prove them wrong. The challenge becomes: ‘I was in this situation, how can I come back stronger?’ I push myself harder and try to return as soon as possible to prove them wrong. That thought keeps driving me, especially after injuries. When I had my back injury, some people said I would never be the same again. I asked myself, why can’t I be? The way you shape your mindset after an injury is important. You choose what to focus on and what to ignore,” Iyer told former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan on JioStar’s Believe.

Accept and move on is Iyer’s mantra

On where his self-belief comes from and how he lifts himself up, Iyer said: “Maturity as a cricketer comes from learning outside the field. From facing rejections and losing games. As a kid, during my matches and selection trials, I faced many difficult moments. Ups and downs are part of everyone’s life. I believe the faster you bounce back from tough times and turn them into positives, the better. Self-talk matters a lot. People will always try to pull you down, but how you pick yourself up is what counts.

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“Sometimes I read books that make me feel good. I try to shift my mind away from cricket. I go on a holiday, spend time alone. Letting go is very important. You set a goal and want to achieve it. But you also need to tell yourself that if it doesn’t happen, it’s fine. Accept it and move on. Otherwise, you keep thinking about what went wrong and fall further behind. I reached a point where I realized that even if I don’t achieve a particular goal, it’s okay. You move on and try to achieve something else,” he added.

Shreyas Iyer

On his approach to finishing games, Shreyas said: “I want to stay not out and finish off the game Because the fun of finishing is different. So, I tell myself that the longer I stay till the end, the chances of winning will increase, and the team will also benefit. At the same time, the contribution from the youngsters and the openers, who have been giving us phenomenal starts, is very important, especially when we are chasing 200-plus scores.

“If you look at the matches that we have won batting second this year, and last season, they set a platform for us. Then, for me to go in, and capitalize on that start, a kind of belief comes from within, that if they have given a good start, I can easily take over from there. And even if they didn’t, I would have to create a different scenario in my mind,” he stated.

My mindset has changed on tackling the short-ball

On overcoming his short-ball weakness, the Mumbaikar said: “People said I would never fix my short-ball problem. That triggered me. I wanted to prove them wrong by performing well. So, I worked hard on it. Earlier, I would just take a single or try to keep the ball down. But now my mindset has changed. If I see a short ball in my zone, I am going to hit it for a six. I work with Pravin Amre. I have been with him since I was young. I also talk to coaches like Abhishek Nayar. We share ideas.

“During my batting practice, I now try to play around 50 overs and face over 300 balls. That helps me understand what works for me. I don’t follow a fixed pattern. I give myself more time in the middle and face real bowlers, not just sidearm throws. The more I face bowlers, the clearer my movement becomes. I focus on creating a rhythm. Just before the bowler delivers, I try to get into my position quickly. That creates a flow. You must have seen AB de Villiers do that. Even Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have that rhythm before playing their shots. I try to do the same,” he added.

People said I would never fix my short-ball problem. That triggered me. I wanted to prove them wrong by performing well. So, I worked hard on it, says Shreyas Iyer. Pics: BCCI

On the first time he saw Irfan Pathan up close as a ball boy, he said: “I remember the first time I saw you. I was a ball boy in the first IPL season when you were playing for Punjab. You had just finished bowling an over. I was sitting at the boundary line with another ball boy. You walked over and asked us how we were feeling. We said it felt great. At that moment, it felt amazing that an IPL player and an India cricketer had come and spoken to us. It was a very special feeling.”