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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have had an exceptional Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, reaching the final for the first time in three years under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer. This marks a significant opportunity for KKR to win the trophy again after a decade. Their final clash will be against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), led by Pat Cummins, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 26.
Shreyas Iyer’s update on back spasms
Ahead of the highly anticipated final, Iyer spoke to the media about the challenges he faced, particularly his back issues in 2023, and how he overcame that to lead KKR. Iyer revealed that he had been dealing with recurring back spasms, which made the transition from red-ball to white-ball cricket difficult. However, he managed to adapt and guide KKR to a successful season.
“I was definitely struggling after the World Cup, in terms of the longer format. When I raised my concern, no one was agreeing to it. But at the sane time the competition is with myself. When IPL was approaching, all I wanted to see to it that I can put my best foot forward and whatever planning or strategizing we did before, we executed it to the best of our abilities. The transformation from red-ball cricket to white-ball is difficult as a batsman, but once you get used to it, you match with the other teams,” Iyer was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.
Also READ: IPL 2024 Final: Here’s what will happen if KKR vs SRH clash is abandoned due to rain
Strategic planning behind KKR’s success in IPL 2024
Iyer attributed KKR’s success this season to strategic planning and a well-executed approach. His leadership has been pivotal, as reflected in his personal performance. In 13 games, Iyer scored 345 runs at an impressive average of 38 and a strike rate of 146. His standout performance came in Qualifier 1 against SRH, where his 24-ball 58-run knock, in partnership with Venkatesh Iyer, led KKR to a comfortable nine-wicket victory.
“When the IPL was approaching all I wanted to see was that I’ve put my best foot forward and whatever planning and strategizing we [KKR] did before it, basically if we could execute it to the best of our abilities, we would have been in a great spot – and that’s where we are right now,” the Mumbai-born cricketer concluded.
Iyer’s comeback and controversies
Iyer’s comeback journey has been notable. After suffering back spasms and missing out on crucial games, he made a return during the Asia Cup last year and played in the ODI World Cup. Early in 2024, Iyer was selected for the first two home Tests against England but was left out for the remaining matches due to recurring back issues. According to the media reports, he missed some Ranji Trophy games for Mumbai, citing back spasms, despite being cleared by the BCCI medical staff.
Controversy surrounded Iyer when he attended a KKR pre-season camp during one of the Ranji Trophy games he missed. Although he returned to play in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals and final, he had already lost his central BCCI contract. This decision came after BCCI secretary Jay Shah emphasized the importance of prioritizing domestic cricket over the IPL. Despite meeting the minimum criteria for matches played, Iyer’s contract was not renewed, raising questions about the balance between IPL commitments and domestic cricket obligations.
