Shreyas Iyer will not play in the second four-day match against Australia A

Shreyas Iyer will not play in the second four-day match against Australia A

India A vs Australia A, 2nd unofficial Test: Shreyas Iyer has withdrawn from the second unofficial Test against Australia A in Lucknow. Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel will lead India A, stepping into the captaincy after his century in the opening game.

Shreyas Iyer, who was appointed captain of the India A red-ball team for the multi-day series against Australia A, has unexpectedly pulled out of the second and final match. The game is scheduled to begin in Lucknow on Tuesday, September 23. His withdrawal has prompted a last-minute leadership change, with either vice-captain Dhruv Jurel or Rajat Patidar who wasn’t originally part of the squad expected to take over as captain.

The exact reason for Iyer’s exit hasn’t been officially confirmed, but sources close to the situation say he returned to Mumbai after the first match, which ended in a high-scoring draw on September 19. He reportedly informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he would not be available for the second match due to personal reasons. Attempts to reach Iyer for comment were unsuccessful.

Iyer’s absence comes at a time when his form and selection have been under scrutiny. Despite a strong performance in the IPL earlier this year, he was not picked for India’s Asia Cup squad a decision that sparked debate across media and among fans. In the first India A match against Australia A, Iyer failed to make an impact, scoring just eight runs.

Meanwhile, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj have joined the India A squad in Lucknow for the second match. Their inclusion was pre-planned by the BCCI, which had announced earlier that the two senior players would be added to the squad for the second game and would replace two players from the first match.

This second match is crucial for several players hoping to make a case for selection in India’s upcoming Test series against the West Indies. With Iyer stepping away and new leadership stepping in, the team will be looking to regroup quickly and put in a strong performance.

India A Squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, N Jagadeesan (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Dhruv Jurel (VC & WK), Ayush Badoni, Tanush Kotian, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar, KL Rahul, Yash Thakur and Mohammed Siraj.