Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer shared a crucial update after taking a nasty blow during Tuesday’s IPL clash against Gujarat Titans. The right-hander was struck on his hand at non-striker’s end when Cooper Connolly drilled a shot straight back down the ground. Iyer instinctively tried to protect himself but ended up taking a heavy blow. The impact left him in visible discomfort, forcing the physios to rush onto the field for treatment. The brief stoppage seemed to halt Punjab’s rhythm at a crucial stage, and Iyer, after resuming, couldn’t quite settle back in. He eventually fell soon after the interruption, edging a loose shot, adding to the frustration following the injury scare.
Meanwhile, PBKS still managed to hold their nerves in the end as they claimed a three-wicket win with five balls to spare.
After opening the campaign with a key win, Iyer was first quizzed about the injury. He said he’s feeling fine for now, though he was careful not to say too much and tempt fate.
“All I can say, it’s nice. It’s the same as it was before. I don’t want to jinx anything. I just want to stay positive and hopefully everything comes out right,” Iyer said in the post-match presentation.
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With Iyer’s dismissal, Punjab slipped into a collapse, tumbling from 110/2 to 144/7 as Prasidh Krishna ripped through the middle order. Looking back at the wobble, Iyer said he was inside getting his injury treated when the wickets fell in a heap, but emphasised the importance of staying calm and trusting the set batter to see it through.
“Honestly speaking, I was focused on my hand inside, icing it and then suddenly we lost two wickets back-to-back. These things happen in the IPL and you have to remain calm and composed in such situations. So the message was pretty simple. Just take the game to the end and Cooper was there,” the PBKS skipper said.
Shreyas Iyer showers praise on Cooper Connolly
Continuing his thoughts, Iyer reserved special praise for Connolly, highlighting his awareness and composure and expressing confidence in his ability to maintain the same form.
“He was pretty much set. And he’s got a great awareness as a player. I’ve seen him in the past as well, playing for Australia. He’s got a great mindset and hopefully he continues with the same form,” he added.
