"It was difficult for me to adapt to the fact that I was injured"- Shreyas Iyer

Indian middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer enjoyed a fruitful return to competitive cricket after a long injury layoff in the Delhi Capitals' opening game of the UAE leg. The franchise's former skipper scored an unbeaten 47 as the 2020 runners-up sealed an eight-wicket win against SunRisers Hyderabad on Wednesday (September 22).

After the game, Iyer opened up about his time away from the game due to an unfortunate shoulder injury he suffered during the ODI series against England in March. The 26-year-old admitted that he initially found it difficult to accept he was injured and would be unable to play competitively.

Speaking to the IPL's official website after the match, Iyer said:

"I have a very close-knit family and friends and they never made me feel that I was going through an injury. Firstly, you know when I got injured, it was really difficult for me to adapt to the fact that I was injured because I keep doing so many activities here and there. And I never think about that situation (injuries) and that happened. So it was really tough for me to adapt."

The talented batsman acknowledged the efforts of his family members and friends who helped him through the troubled phase.

"But as I mentioned earlier, close-knit families and friends really kept me busy. They kept me in a positive frame of mind and never made me feel that you know I'm going through an injury. But when the rehab started and I started gaining strength, that feeling was really amazing. And that put me in a really good frame of mind that I will come back positive and strong."

Shreyas Iyer will look to rack up runs on a consistent basis in the remaining matches of the season as he intends to his reclaim his position in the pecking order. His shoulder injury and the consequent recovery period meant Iyer lost his place in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

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I'm not satisfied, not content: Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer played an unbeaten knock of 47 and along with skipper Rishabh Pant took his side past the finishing line against SRH. He also crossed the milestone of 4000 runs in the IPL.

However, the right-hander isn't satisfied yet. Iyer said his appetite for runs keeps on increasing with every match he plays.

"It's a really good feeling to be honest, I wouldn't say that I'm satisfied because the hunger has just gone up. And the appetite keeps on increasing every match you play. So yeah, I'm not satisfied, not content," he added

The Capitals' will hope their former skipper continues his form in upcoming matches as they aim for their maiden title in the cash-rich league.