India A Announces Squad and Leadership for One-Day Series Against Australia A

 

The India A cricket team has unveiled its updated squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against Australia A, which will commence on September 30 in Kanpur. Shreyas Iyer will lead the team as captain for all three matches, with different squad combinations planned for each game.

 

For the opening match, the squad includes Prabhsimran Singh as wicketkeeper, along with Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel as backup wicketkeeper, Priyansh Arya, and Simarjeet Singh. The vice-captain for this match has not been confirmed. Priyansh Arya and Simarjeet Singh will exit the squad after the first game.

 

For the second and third matches, Tilak Varma will join as vice-captain, accompanied by Abhishek Sharma, Harshit Rana, and Arshdeep Singh. These players will join the squad after taking a short break following the Asia Cup 2025 final on September 28. Initially, Rajat Patidar was expected to captain the first match, with Tilak Varma leading the next two games, but the BCCI later confirmed Shreyas Iyer will captain all three matches.

 

Shreyas Iyer Takes Break from Test Cricket

 

Shreyas Iyer has chosen to take a six-month break from red-ball cricket to manage persistent back problems. He informed the BCCI through an official email and withdrew from the India A four-day match against Australia A in Lucknow. As a result, he is unlikely to be considered for India’s upcoming Test series against the West Indies. On September 25, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed Iyer’s decision.

 

Iyer had previously undergone successful surgery in the United Kingdom but continues to experience stiffness and spasms in longer formats. He intends to use this period to improve his endurance, strengthen his body, and focus on overall fitness. Due to his choice, he was not included in the Irani Cup selection.

 

Shreyas Iyer’s Back Concerns

 

Shreyas Iyer, who captained India A in the first four-day match against Australia A, had to withdraw from the second game due to recurring back issues. He will also miss the Irani Cup, where he was expected to represent Rest of India against Vidarbha.

 

Iyer’s performance has been inconsistent since returning from injury, with modest scores in the Duleep Trophy and against Australia A. His back problems began in late 2022, requiring surgery in April 2023, which also caused him to miss that year’s IPL. He made a strong comeback in the Asia Cup and the 2023 World Cup but continued to struggle with fitness, missing parts of first-class cricket and temporarily losing his BCCI contract in 2024.