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Shreyas Iyer has revealed how criticism over his struggles against short-pitched deliveries became the turning point in his career, motivating him to transform his game.

For a long time, Iyer was seen as vulnerable against the short ball in both international cricket and the Indian Premier League. However, he worked extensively on the weakness during the 2023 ODI World Cup and has since emerged as one of the most dangerous players of the pull shot.

His improvement was on full display during Punjab Kings’ clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, where he confidently pulled Jasprit Bumrah for a towering six.

Speaking on JioStar’s show Believe with Irfan Pathan, Iyer admitted that constant taunts about his short-ball weakness pushed him to prove critics wrong.

“People said I would never fix my short-ball problem. That triggered me. I wanted to prove them wrong by performing well. So, I worked hard on it. Earlier, I would just take a single or try to keep the ball down. But now my mindset has changed. If I see a short ball in my zone, I am going to hit it for a six,” Iyer said.

The Punjab Kings skipper also spoke about his intense practice routine. He revealed that he often faces close to 50 overs and more than 300 deliveries during training sessions to build consistency and rhythm.

“I work with Pravin Amre. I have been with him since I was young. I also talk to coaches like Abhishek Nayar. We share ideas. During my batting practice, I now try to play around 50 overs and face over 300 balls. That helps me understand what works for me. I don’t follow a fixed pattern,” he explained.

Iyer emphasised the importance of facing real bowlers rather than relying only on sidearm practice. “I give myself more time in the middle and face real bowlers, not just sidearm throws. The more I face bowlers, the clearer my movement becomes. I focus on creating a rhythm. Just before the bowler delivers, I try to get into my position quickly. That creates a flow. You must have seen AB de Villiers do that. Even Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have that rhythm before playing their shots. I try to do the same,” he added.

Under Iyer’s leadership, Punjab Kings have been one of the standout teams in IPL 2026. They remain unbeaten so far, winning six of their seven matches, with one game washed out due to rain.

Iyer has also led from the front with the bat, scoring 279 runs at an impressive average of 69.75 and a strike rate of 186, playing a key role in Punjab’s dominant run this season.