Shreyas Iyer to take six-month break from red-ball cricket after BCCI approves request

Shreyas Iyer will be unavailable to play red-ball cricket for the next six months after the Board of Control for Cricket in India approved his request. The Punjab Kings captain, who led the India A side in the first unofficial Test against Australia A in Lucknow, sent an email to the governing body requesting a break before pulling out of the second game.

He had requested time away from the longer format to focus on recovery and endurance from frequent back spasms and stiffness. The Indian middle-order batter, however, will continue to play in the limited-overs formats and will lead India A in the three-match ODI series against Australia A starting on September 30.

The Mumbai batter could manage just eight runs from 13 balls in India A’s only innings in the drawn encounter at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. In the only other competitive game after the Indian Premier League, Shreyas had scores of 25 and 12 in the West Zone’s semifinal against the Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed receiving the email from Shreyas and their approval of the same in a press statement on Thursday. As a result, the batter was not considered for selection for the home series against the West Indies and the Irani Trophy.

"Iyer has informed the BCCI of his decision to take a six-month break from red-ball cricket," Saikia wrote. "Having undergone back surgery in the UK and managed his recovery well, he has recently experienced recurring back spasms and stiffness while playing the longer format. He wishes to utilise this period to build endurance, body resilience, and work on his fitness. In view of his decision, he was not considered for selection for the Irani Cup."