Shreyas Iyer, who was appointed captain of India A’s red-ball side, has withdrawn from the second and final match of the multi-day series against Australia A.
As a result, Dhruv Jurel, the team’s vice-captain, will lead India A in the four-day match starting in Lucknow on Tuesday, September 23.
Iyer returned to Mumbai after captaining the first match, which concluded on September 19, and the reasons for his withdrawal have not been officially detailed.
Why Did Iyer Step Down?
Reports suggest that Shreyas Iyer informed the BCCI of his unavailability due to personal reasons.
“Yes, Shreyas is taking a break and has returned to Mumbai. He has informed the selectors that he won’t be able to play in the second four-day match against Australia A. However, he remains in fray for a spot in the middle-order when the selectors meet to pick the squad for the West Indies series,” a Times of India report quoted a source as saying.
Following his strong performance in the IPL, Iyer had been a potential candidate for India’s Asia Cup squad, but he was left out, leading to media speculation.
In the first India A match against Australia A, which ended in a high-scoring draw, he scored only eight runs, failing to make a significant impact.
Despite Shreyas Iyer’s lackluster performance with the bat, India A put up a strong showing against Australia A in the previous match, scoring 531 runs in response to Australia’s 532.
Other Squad Updates
KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj have joined the team for the second match. According to BCCI, both players will replace two members who were added to the squad after the first multi-day game, strengthening India A for the final fixture.
Iyer’s struggles
Shreyas Iyer has not featured in India’s recent England tour and was also omitted from the Asia Cup 2025 T20I squad. The batter is focused on establishing himself as a key player across all three formats. While he has cemented his place in India’s ODI lineup, playing a pivotal role in last year’s Champions Trophy victory, breaking into the Test and T20I sides has remained a challenge for him.
