 "Shreyas Iyer hasn't represented India in Test cricket since the second of five Tests against England in Visakhapatnam last year. Image: Reuters")
Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has reportedly told the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he wants to take a break from red-ball cricket. According to a report in The Indian Express, Iyer has written a letter to the apex body, requesting them not to consider him for Test matches for a while.
Iyer was recently named captain of India A for the ongoing unofficial Test series against Australia A . But he pulled out of the second Test in Lucknow, and Dhruv Jurel was handed the captaincy. It has now emerged that Iyer spoke to the selectors and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar before making this decision and writing to the BCCI for a break.
Why is Shreyas Iyer taking a break from red-ball cricket?
After his recent discussions with Agarkar and his team, Iyer wrote an official mail to the board to explain his situation. He has reportedly been suffering stiffness and fatigue in his back and feels his body is not ready to handle the demands of red-ball cricket.
The Indian Express report claims that Iyer cannot stay on the field for more than four days at a stretch. He told the board that in Ranji Trophy matches last season he could take small breaks, but that is not possible in Test matches or India A games. Because of this, Iyer wants to step away from red-ball cricket until he recovers.
“He has informed us that he (Iyer) will be taking a break from red ball cricket and it’s good that he has cleared it out because selectors are now clear about his future. He won’t be playing red ball cricket in coming months and he has informed the board that he will assess his body in future in consultation with physios and trainer and take a call on it,” the report quoted a source as saying.
Iyer losses an opportunity to make Test comeback
Iyer was in line to be picked for the upcoming two-match home Test series against West Indies. He was snubbed for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England in July this year as Karun Nair was preferred by the selectors. But after Nair’s poor show in the series, Iyer was expected to get a call-up.
The selectors even gave him the India A captaincy to get match practice. But this latest decision has ruled him out of red-ball cricket for now. This is not the first Iyer has skipped red-ball cricket. He missed out on the home Test series against England last year, and also missed a few Ranji Trophy matches.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIt appears that Iyer wants to focus on white-ball cricket for now, especially after his recent success in both formats. He won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with the Indian team in February and also reached the IPL 2025 final as captain of Punjab Kings. Last year, he led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title.