'I was in excruciating pain'

'I'm happy being where I am. I'm ticking all the boxes day by day,' says Shreyas Iyer.

'In terms of preparation, I had fantastic two days of practice with the boys and also it was competitive. So happy to be here right now and embracing each and every moment,' Iyer tells BCCI.

Iyer has been included in India's Asia Cup team, marking his return to competitive cricket for the first time since March 2023.

He is a possible solution to India's number four dilemma, having played 20 innings at the position scoring 805 runs at an average of 47.35.

'For me it is important for me to be in the present and do my routines right,' Iyer says.

'I don't want to think about what is going to happen beyond and what has happened in the past,' he adds,

The Mumbai batter missed a part of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia due to a bulging slipped disc. He then underwent surgery in London in May and was at the NCA thereafter for rehabilitation.

'To be precise, I had this nerve compression, basically this slipped disc which was compressing the nerve and the pain was going all the way down to the bottom of my tiny toe. And it was horrendous, at that point of time, and I was in excruciating pain,' explains Iyer.

'As a professional athlete, it is tough when the pain is not subsiding. Thankfully, I had a great set of friends around me and support staff and also my family,' adds Iyer.

'So they were the ones who calmed me down in this situation. I was panicking, but patience is the key at this point of time especially.'

'I'm truly happy to be where I am right now, because I never imagined that I would recover so fast.'