Murali Sreeshankar has ankle ligament reconstruction in London after Asian Games injury, targets 2027 return
Murali Sreeshankar, the 27-year-old Indian long jumper, underwent minor ligament reconstruction on his right ankle at Fortius Clinic in London on October 13 after injuring the ankle at the Asian Games in Japan on September 28; he is targeting a return in the 2027 season with the World Championships in Beijing and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 among his goals.
The injury occurred during the men's long jump at the Asian Games when Sreeshankar slipped on a rain-soaked take-off board on his fourth attempt and twisted his right ankle. Despite the incident, he secured the silver medal with a second-round leap of 8.07 metres but withdrew from his final two attempts because of the injury. Initial hopes that rest and rehabilitation would suffice gave way to further consultations that led to the decision to operate.
Sreeshankar underwent the procedure at Fortius Clinic in London on October 13 under the supervision of Dr Pieter D'Hooghe. His father and coach, S Murali, said the family opted for surgery after additional medical consultations deemed it necessary to prepare the athlete for the demands of the upcoming season. Sreeshankar thanked the Sports Authority of India and the Athletics Federation of India for facilitating access to specialist medical care.
The ankle operation is the latest in a string of setbacks for Sreeshankar, who returned to competition in 2025 after having left knee surgery in April 2024 that ruled him out of the Paris Olympics. That previous rehabilitation required an extended period away from competition before he resumed international meets. The recent procedure means another period focused on recovery rather than immediate competition.
On the competitive front, Sreeshankar won silver at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and then added another silver at the Asian Games before the ankle injury interrupted his latest campaign. His stated immediate priority is to ensure the ankle regains stability before he resumes full training. Family and coaching staff framed the operation as a necessary step to ready him for the next season's demands.
Reflecting on the decision and his recurring injuries in a social media post, Sreeshankar wrote: "Courtesy of the slip off the takeoff board during the Asian Games, I injured my ligaments. After further consultations and investigations, surgery was deemed necessary to ensure that my ankle is stable and ready for the upcoming season, with the World Championships 2027 in Beijing and, most importantly, LA 2028." He also wrote: "Some of you might be wondering why this guy keeps getting injured again and again. Tbh (to be honest), I don't have an answer to that. I could simply blame it on the wet takeoff board or perhaps my fate, but neither is going to help me. I'd rather accept what has happened and keep working towards becoming the best version of myself," he said. "But one thing I know for sure is that I have that extra comeback gene and the Mamba Mentality in me. That will do the job," he added, and later wrote: "And yeah, here we go again!! Comeback 2.0, to chase down another set of major medals!!"
Sreeshankar now faces a rehabilitation period with the stated targets of the 2027 World Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics; the objective is to recover ankle stability and return to full fitness in time to contest those events.
