He last played in Tests in February 2024.
Shreyas Iyer was among the notable omissions from the team to England for the five-match Test series. With India’s home Test series fast-approaching, some confirmed names are part of the India A playing XI against Australia. The 30-year-old was set to continue leading the side in Lucknow, however, he withdrew just hours before the start of the match. Dhruv Jurel took over the captaincy role in the interim.
Though Iyer hasn’t played in Tests since February 2024, his exceptional performance in the Champions Trophy and leading Punjab Kings to the IPL final added to his credentials. It wasn’t long ago when social media was ablaze over the news of Iyer sitting out for yet another series, be it the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy or the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
But his letter to the BCCI earlier today has rolled eyeballs in the Indian fraternity.
“He [Shreyas Iyer] has informed us that he 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,” a source confirmed to The Indian Express.
The Mumbai batter has cited fitness issues regarding his break from the longest format of the game. Earlier ruled out with a back injury, Iyer has now reported continued stiffness and fatigue linked to the same recurring issue.
Iyer managed eight runs in the first unofficial Test, which was drawn. In the second and ongoing match, India A has done well so far under Jurel’s leadership. Captain Nathan McSweeney’s 74 and 88 by Jack Edwards helped Australia post enough runs on the board, before Manav Suthar’s fifer derailed the visitors. The scoreboard now reads 350/9 with tailenders Todd Murphy (29) and Henry Thornton (10) unbeaten on the crease. Gurnoor Brar has picked up two wickets, while seniors Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna have taken one wicket each.
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For the unversed, Iyer has shared bad blood with the management after being left out of the central contracts in the 2023-24 cycle. Since then, continuous snubs from the Test side, despite being fully fit, may have led Iyer to take this stern decision.
The PBKS skipper last donned the India whites during the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam. Across two matches in the 2024 series, Iyer managed 104 runs with a top score of 35. During his last Test, the RCB captain Rajat Patidar made his debut, and was later preferred for two more games
Later that year, he was left out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Come 2025, especially after the Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Iyer was ignored yet again. Shubman Gill was announced as the new skipper, while Iyer, relatively senior, was overlooked.
Talking about his 14-match Test career, Iyer has 800+ runs to his name with a solitary century and five fifties.
The management had already moved to the likes of Patidar, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair, and more. Given the competition, it might be extremely difficult for Shreyas Iyer to make a comeback in whites. However, he is likely to continue to be a part of India’s ODI mix.
India will soon face the West Indies in two Tests starting October 2. Iyer’s decision to take a break from the longest format comes a day before Ajit Agarkar’s panel is expected to release the squad for the home series.
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