Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 25: Shreyas Iyer has been appointed captain of the India A squad for the upcoming 50-over series against Australia A, while Rajat Patidar will lead the Rest of India team in the prestigious Irani Cup clash against Vidarbha, the reigning Ranji Trophy champions. The senior men’s selection committee announced the squads on Thursday.
?? Match Schedule:
• India A vs Australia A (ODIs): Starts September 30 in Kanpur
• Irani Cup – Rest of India vs Vidarbha: Begins October 1 in Nagpur
?? Iyer Takes Break from Red-Ball Cricket
While Iyer will lead the India A squad in the limited-overs format, the BCCI confirmed he has opted for a six-month break from red-ball cricket, citing recurrent back spasms and stiffness during longer-format games.
"Shreyas 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, he has managed recovery well, but has recently experienced recurring issues," the BCCI stated.
Due to this, Iyer was not considered for selection in the Irani Cup squad.
?? Iyer’s Fitness Journey & Recent Form
• Back injury first emerged in Dec 2022; worsened during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (March 2023)
• Surgery in April 2023, missed IPL 2023
• Dropped during England series in Feb 2024
• Rebounded with stellar form in white-ball cricket:
o Top-scorer for India in the Champions Trophy 2025 (243 runs in 5 innings)
o Led Punjab Kings to IPL 2025 final
o Overlooked for T20 Asia Cup 2025
?? Pace Boost for India A
• Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, currently playing in the Asia Cup, will join India A for the 2nd and 3rd ODIs (Oct 3 & 5).
? Squads Announced
India A – 1st One-Day Match vs Australia A
• Shreyas Iyer (C)
• Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge
• Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh
• Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (WK), Priyansh Arya, Simarjeet Singh
India A – 2nd & 3rd One-Dayers
• Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Verma (VC)
• Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni
• Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu
• Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi
• Abhishek Porel (WK), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh
?? Rest of India Squad – Irani Cup (vs Vidarbha)
• Rajat Patidar (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (VC)
• Abhimanyu Easwaran, Aryan Juyal (WK), Yash Dhull
• Shaikh Rasheed, Ishan Kishan (WK), Tanush Kotian
• Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed
• Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Saransh Jain
With Iyer set to lead India A in a crucial limited-overs series and Patidar captaining a talented Rest of India side, these fixtures provide a key opportunity for fringe players to stake their claim ahead of India's upcoming packed international schedule.