BCCI approve Iyer’s request of red-ball break, granting him a 6-month leave of absence from any red-ball cricket.
BCCI okays Shreyas Iyer’s request for six-month break from red-ball cricket.
The board has granted Shreyas Iyer’s request to take a six-month hiatus from red-ball cricket due to back issues. Iyer withdrew from the current four-day India A vs. Australia A match in Lucknow after sending an email to the board stating as much.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said in a press statement that Iyer “has informed the BCCI of his decision to take a six-month break from red-ball cricket”. “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,” Saikia wrote. “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.”
In the first four-day match against Australia A, Iyer captained India A; however, he did not play in the second match. He will now miss the Irani Cup match against Vidarbha, the reigning Ranji Trophy champions, which he was probably going to be selected for in the Rest of India side.
Iyer played for West Zone versus Central Zone in the September Duleep Trophy semi-final at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence on the outskirts of Bengaluru before getting eight runs in his lone innings against Australia A last week in Lucknow. In the game, which was his first competitive appearance since the conclusion of the IPL 2025, he scored 25 and 12.
Iyer suffered a back ailment in December 2022, which worsened during the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in March 2023. He underwent surgery in April and was unable to play in the IPL that year. India’s undefeated run to the 2023 ODI World Cup final in November was largely attributed to him. He returned for the Asia Cup in September.
However, he still suffered from back problems and missed a few first-class games for Mumbai, which led to his exclusion from the BCCI’s central contracts list in February 2024. The next year, Iyer was once again listed as a contracted player.