Shreyas Iyer Reveals Career-Threatening Injury: Paralysis, Nerve Damage, and Spinal Surgery

NEW DELHI: Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer has revealed the extent of the back injury that nearly ended his career, disclosing that he suffered paralysis in one leg before making a successful return to the sport. The setback also cost him a place in the BCCI’s central contract list.Two years ago, Iyer was hospitalised in England as his condition worsened, surviving on painkillers and cortisol injections while his spine and hip deteriorated.“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,” Iyer told GQ India.The batsman recalled how the pain shot “all the way down to my tiny toe,” calling the experience “horrendous and scary.”After surgery, Iyer needed a full year to recover, during which he slipped out of the central contract list. “People see athletes as robots who must perform every game. They don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes,” he said.Recently, Iyer’s omission from India’s Asia Cup squad raised eyebrows, especially after he emerged as Punjab Kings’ top scorer in IPL 2025.“I can only control the controllable. I’ll keep working on my skills and strength, and when the opportunity arises, I’ll grab it with both hands,” he added.His journey highlights not just the physical toll of elite sport, but also the resilience required to fight back.