India, Jan. 5 -- Shreyas Iyer slipping into comeback mode with a Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday is a way of life for top grade players these days. Only, Iyer's case isn't purely about staging a comeback for the sake of it. Once touted as an all-format asset with leadership qualities, Iyer's journey over the last few years has been defined less by his career and more by the often unforgiving road back from setbacks.

His comeback story is not just about returning from injury - it is about reclaiming confidence, rhythm and relevance in one of the most competitive sporting ecosystems where out of sight can well be out of mind.

Here's recalling exactly why Iyer was sidelined for 73 days - he had run backwards f...