'One of the strongest people I have ever known' - KKR coach Abhishek Nayar praises Shreyas Iyer after World Cup setback

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) assistant coach Abhishek Nayar was effusive in his praise for captain Shreyas Iyer, hailing the mental toughness the right-handed batter has shown amid tumultuous times.

Shreyas missed last year's Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a back injury. He went under the knife and returned to action during the Asia Cup 2023. However, he could only play a limited role in the campaign as his back continued to trouble him. The Mumbai batter fought through the pain and had a stellar ODI World Cup 2023 campaign, where he scored 530 runs from 11 matches at an average of 66.25 and a strike rate of 113.25.

However, 2024 has turned out to be a dampener so far for Shreyas. He was dropped from the Test team after registering scores of 31, 6, 0 and 4 in the first two games against England. Later, he was left out of the BCCI Central Contracts list for allegedly "skipping" Ranji Trophy matches.

Also Read: ‘There are butterflies in your stomach’ - Shreyas Iyer reflects on factors that keep him going on field

Shreyas' latest setback came recently when he wasn't picked in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Despite the unfavourable turn of events, Nayar asserted that the 29-year-old has been able to keep a positive frame of mind and is focused on doing well to get back in the reckoning.

"He is one of the strongest people, mentally, I have ever known, just in terms of how he has accepted certain things that have happened to him. I would have seen a lot of people cribbing and talking about it, but I haven't heard him whine about it or complain about it at all. The way he has approached life is in a positive manner - what is in front of you, you try and accept it,” Nayar said in the pre-match press conference ahead of their next fixture against Mumbai Indians on Friday, May 3.

"Certain things are not in under his control but his fitness is in his control, and he is feeling a lot better now. Mentally, to have a mindset like that after being rejected or not getting his due, he has taken it very positively. Even when he talks about it, he is not negative, he understands he needs to go back and do well,” he added.

Also Read: IPL 2024, Match 51: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Match Preview

Shreyas has scored 251 runs from nine matches so far in IPL 2024 at an average of 41.83 and a strike rate of 137.16. He has led KKR commendably, as the former two-time champions are currently placed at No. 2 on the points table. A win on Friday will take the Knights to 14 points, two shy of table-toppers Rajasthan Royals.