Shreyas Iyer was named the captain of the India A team for the two unofficial Test matches against Australia A. While he played the first one, Iyer has reportedly pulled himself out from the second match, set to be played in Lucknow from September 23 onwards.
Shreyas Iyer’s much-awaited comeback into the Indian Test team has hit a further roadblock as the star batter will be missing India A’s second unofficial Test match against Australia A, starting from September 23 in Lucknow, Cricbuzz reported.
The Mumbai batter has reportedly pulled out of the second clash at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, due to personal reasons. He was the captain for the two red-ball matches against the Aussies. While he led the team in the opening match in Lucknow, from September 15-19, he reportedly returned to Mumbai after the opening match. It is not clear why he has pulled himself out of the contest.
Notably, the report added that Iyer is believed to have informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of pulling out from the match due to personal reasons.
Shreyas looked in line for Test comeback
Meanwhile, Shreyas looked in line for a Test comeback after being named the captain of the two unofficial Test matches against the Aussies. India are to play in a two-match Test series against the West Indies from October 2 onwards. The squad for the series is expected to be rolled out on September 24, which is the second day of the unofficial Test between the two teams.
Shreyas last played a Test for India in early 2024 during India’s home Test series against England. He was also not in the squad for the T20 Asia Cup, a decision that was widely debated by cricket experts and pundits.
Jurel or Patidar to lead team in Shreyas’s absence
Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel or Rajat Patidar could lead the India A side for the second game. Jurel is the designated vice-captain for the two red-ball games, while Patidar is not in the squad originally. The RCB skipper is named the skipper for the first of the two one-day games against Australia A that follow after the unofficial Tests. The first match between India A and Australia A ended in a draw.
Meanwhile, India internationals KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj are also set to play in the second match.
India A Squad for 2nd unofficial Test against Australia: Abhimanyu Easwaran, N Jagadeesan (WK), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (VC & WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Ayush Badoni, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed, Manav Suthar, Yash Thakur, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj.