New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has shed light on the foundations of his self-belief, emphasising the role of setbacks, personal growth beyond cricket, and mental conditioning in shaping his journey at the highest level.

Speaking about how he lifts himself during challenging phases, Iyer underlined that true maturity as a cricketer is built as much off the field as on it, particularly through handling rejection and adversity early in life.

“Maturity as a cricketer comes from learning outside the field. From facing rejections and losing games. As a kid, during my matches and selection trials, I faced many difficult moments. Ups and downs are part of everyone’s life. I believe the faster you bounce back from tough times and turn them into positives, the better. Self-talk matters a lot. People will always try to pull you down, but how you pick yourself up is what counts,” Iyer told JioStar.

The 31-year-old, who is currently leading Punjab Kings in a strong IPL 2026 campaign, highlighted that maintaining balance and perspective has been key to sustaining performance levels in a high-pressure environment.

“Sometimes I read books that make me feel good. I try to shift my mind away from cricket. I go on a holiday, spend time alone. Letting go is very important. You set a goal and want to achieve it. But you also need to tell yourself that if it doesn’t happen, it’s fine. Accept it and move on. Otherwise, you keep thinking about what went wrong and fall further behind. I reached a point where I realised that even if I don’t achieve a particular goal, it’s okay. You move on and try to achieve something else,” Iyer added.

Iyer’s reflections come amid a phase where his leadership and batting form have been central to Punjab’s rise as one of the most consistent sides this season. His approach, rooted in clarity of thought and emotional resilience, has also been credited by teammates and support staff with fostering a positive, driven team environment.

Recalling an early memory that left a lasting impression on him, Iyer spoke about his first close interaction with former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan during the inaugural IPL season, when he was serving as a ball boy.

“I remember the first time I saw you. I was a ball boy in the first IPL season when you were playing for Punjab. You had just finished bowling an over. I was sitting at the boundary line with another ball boy. You walked over and asked us how we were feeling. We said it felt great. At that moment, it felt amazing that an IPL player and an India cricketer had come and spoken to us. It was a very special feeling,” Iyer reminisced.

The in-form Punjab Kings will next face the Rajasthan Royals at their home ground in New Chandigarh on Tuesday.

–IANS

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