Shreyas Iyer informed the BCCI of his decision to take a break from red-ball cricket due to back stiffness. Having left the India A squad, he will miss the upcoming Test series against the West Indies, leaving his Test future in doubt.
Team India’s middle-order Shreyas Iyer’s future in Test cricket has become uncertain as he wrote to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors about taking a break from red-ball cricket. The latest development came after Iyer quit as captain of India A and returned home to Mumbai from Lucknow ahead of the second unofficial four-day Test against Australia A at Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Shreyas Iyer led India A in the first unofficial Test against Australia A, which ended in a draw in Lucknow. However, just hours before the beginning of the second four-match day match, it was reported that the 30-year-old withdrew from the squad and headed back home after the opening match, which concluded on September 19.
The BCCI did not release an official statement on Shreyas Iyer’s departure from the India A squad as captain. Still, as per the report by Times of India (TOI), a source close to the board confirmed that the Punjab Kings skipper returned home and is taking ‘rest’, adding that he was in the fray for the squad selection for the upcoming home Test series against West Indies, which will begin on October 2.
Why Shreyas Iyer decided to step away from red-ball cricket?
Even hours after the reports of Shreyas Iyer’s exit from the India A squad, there has been no official statement yet from the BCCI, raising concerns about his availability and future role in India’s red-ball setup.
However, according to a report by Press Trust of India, a source close to the BCCI confirmed that Shreyas wrote a letter to the chief selector Ajit Agarkar about his decision to take a hiatus from red-ball cricket, citing a stiff back that prevents him from meeting the demands of the longer format.
“While he informed the India A team management that he has gone to Mumbai for personal reasons, he has informed chairman of the selection committee that his back can’t take the rigours of first-class and Test cricket for the time being,” a BCCI source told PTI.
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After being snubbed from the India squad for the Test series against England and the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, Shreyas Iyer was picked as captain of the India A squad for the two unofficial Tests against Australia A, indicating the possibility of returning to the Test set-up for India’s home series against the West Indies.
Shreyas not in contention for the West Indies Test series
With a decision to step away from red-ball cricket, according to the mail written to the BCCI selection committee head, Ajit Agarkar, Shreyas Iyer will not feature in the upcoming home Test series against West Indies. Iyer was in contention for a place in the squad for the two-match Test series against the touring West Indies, but his decision to take a break rules him out of selection for the time being.
Shreyas Iyer’s last appearance in Test cricket was in February last year, playing against England in Visakhapatnam. After being removed from the BCCI central contract list for players due to non-adherence to the board’s direction to play domestic cricket, the middle-order was not picked for the Test series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia.
Before playing for India A in the first unofficial Test against Australia A, Shreyas Iyer represented the West Zone for the Duleep Trophy semifinal against Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) Ground in Bengaluru on September 4, scoring 25 and 12 in both innings.
Shreyas Iyer’s decision to step away from red-ball cricket for the time being, when the BCCI is set to announce the India squad for the West Indies Test series on Wednesday, September 24.
Can Shreyas Iyer return to the Test setup?
The uncertainty over Shreyas Iyer’s future in red-ball cricket looms after he decides to take a break from red-ball cricket due to back stiffness, leaving fans wondering whether the middle-order will ever make a comeback to the Test setup. Apart from the series against West Indies, the 30-year-old is unlikely to be available for the two-match series against South Africa in November.
Iyer was picked in the India squad for the England Test series despite a brilliant performance in the Ranji Trophy 2024/25 season, amassing 480 runs, including a double century and a century, at an average of 68.57 in seven innings, but recurring back issues have now put his red-ball career on hold. He is unlikely to feature for Mumbai in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season this year.
Shreyas Iyer’s return to the India Test setup is tough at the moment, as the BCCI selectors are expected to give opportunities to younger batters who have been consistent in red-ball cricket, making it harder for him to make a Test comeback even after he recovers. The likes of Sarfaraz Khan, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel are in contention for the middle-order spots, further denting Iyer’s chances of returning to red-ball cricket for India.
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer will continue to play white-ball cricket and is part of the ODI setup. Iyer is expected to make his return to international cricket in the ODI series against Australia, which will begin on October 19.