Shreyas Iyer injury update: Punjab Kings captain ruled out of IPL 2026?

Punjab Kings (PBKS) almost suffered a mini heart attack when their captain Shreyas Iyer suddenly went down in pain during their IPL 2026 opener against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Tuesday, March 31, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh.

The incident left the entire stadium and even the commentator quiet for a few seconds because nobody knew how bad it was for the captain of the PBKS, finalists of the IPL 2025 season.

Shreyas Iyer injured by Cooper Connolly's bullet shot

Cooper Connolly hammered a straight shot back towards the bowler, but it flew directly towards Iyer at the non-striker’s end. Instinctively, the Punjab Kings skipper lifted his hand to protect himself, but the ball smashed into his fingers with full force.

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He immediately grabbed his hand and bent down, and he was clearly struggling to deal with the pain. The PBKS physios rushed in, and everyone watched nervously as the IPL 2026 match was halted for a few minutes in New Chandigarh.

After a short break, Iyer tried to continue, but his shots didn’t connect cleanly, and he looked distracted because the injury had clearly unsettled him. Within a few deliveries, the right-handed batter was dismissed for 18 runs off 11 balls while attempting a loose shot.

Still, Punjab Kings showed good character. They held their nerve and finished the chase with three wickets in hand and five balls left. Connolly was the hero of their successful chase of 163 runs with a stunning knock of 72* off 44 balls against the Gujarat Titans on Tuesday.

Shreyas Iyer shares update on his wrist injury

However, PBKS made a winning start of their IPL 2026 campaign, but many were keenly awaiting an update on Iyer’s fitness as the tournament just began. After Punjab Kings’ thrilling three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans, Shreyas Iyer gave a small update on his wrist injury.

The Indian batter said that he was feeling okay, but he refused to share about the severity of the injury. However, Iyer remains positive about his recovery, but he is likely to undergo scans for further evaluation.

Iyer said in the post-match presentation, “All I can say about the hand is that it is nice, same as it was before. I do not want to jinx anything. I just want to stay positive, and hopefully everything comes out all right.”

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Notably, PBKS’ next IPL 2026 clash is scheduled for April 3 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Iyer’s availability for this match is uncertain at this moment.

PBKS captain hails Connolly despite mini collapse

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings were looking comfortable at 110/2, but they suddenly found themselves struggling at 144/7 after Iyer’s wicket. Prasidh Krishna came in with fire and completely broke the middle order and left the PBKS camp tense.

At the same time, Iyer was inside the dressing room getting his injured hand treated, not even realizing how fast the wickets were falling. When he came back and saw the scoreboard, he understood the situation immediately and didn’t panic at all.

The captain told the boys to stay relaxed, not rush, and trust the set batter to take the game deep, and eventually Cooper finished the match against Gujarat Titans.

Iyer signed off by saying, “So, the message was pretty simple. Just take the game to the end, and Cooper was there. He was pretty much set. And he's got a great awareness as a player. I've seen him in the past as well, playing for Australia. He's got a great mindset, and hopefully he continues with the same form.”