Venkatesh Iyer discussed his injury and his feelings about missing the World Cup.
The KKR opener is currently in Bangalore for rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy.
Venkatesh Iyer on missing out from the World Cup
While Hardik Pandya was recovering from a back injury, Venkatesh Iyer was expected to fill in as the all-rounder. Iyer made his debut for India in the second part of the IPL 2021 following a stellar season with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He appeared in nine T20 Internationals and two One-Day Internationals before being benched. Pandya’s rapid recovery from injury snuffed out Iyer’s aspirations of a comeback, and he returned to the grind of local competition for his state, Madhya Pradesh.
The all-rounder for Madhya Pradesh did, however, get off to a great start in the Syed Mushtaq Ali competition with the goal of making a comeback. In the first game, he played outstandingly, hitting 62 runs and taking six wickets for 20 runs. In the following game, he added another fifty, but just when he appeared to be returning to form, an ankle injury forced him to miss the rest of the campaign.
“I just tripped off the staircase, and kind of twisted it (ankle). The entire socket came out… (Ankle) was in a bad position but the surgery went well and it should be good. The rehab is going well and step by step I have started to walk again. It should hopefully be fine in a few months,” Venkatesh Iyer said.
“When I was called into the Indian cricket team, I felt I could play in the World Cup and then I was not there. That really hurt me. I don’t want to put myself in a position to think about something which is really far away from me. If things are to happen, they will happen. The only thing in my hands is to stick to the process, get better every day and leave the rest to god,” Iyer added.
Iyer claims he is excited about the IPL
“Chandu (Chandrakant Pandit) sir is our domestic coach, he has worked on all aspects of our game. Right from aspects of fielding to batting technique. I am extremely happy that someone of his stature, who has dominated domestic cricket for such a long time is finally getting to showcase his skills on the IPL level. I am really excited from that point of view and just like everyone else, I am excited about how he will take charge of KKR. To be honest, I really can’t wait for the IPL,” he said.
“I was in touch with a lot of players. I knew what I had to do to get back into the team. May it be batting, bowling or fielding – everything. (Being) better never stops. I was told to be ready. And as I told you, our set-up is so good that if not India, then IPL, if not IPL, then domestic competitions, if not them – then the local leagues. That is never going to end. And I feel very lucky to operate that way,” he added.
Venkatesh Iyer’s potential return to India’s team was severely derailed by Hardik Pandya’s selection. He acknowledged the circumstance, though, and praised Pandya for his outstanding performances.
“Who doesn’t want to have a long run with the Indian team? Even though I wanted that, I clearly understood the way Hardik bhai came back. What he did was really amazing. Every team wants to pick the best team for the World Cup. I would have wanted to be there, but again it’s not in my hands. I have always looked at cricket as an opportunity,” he further added.
