Shreyas Iyer to replace Rohit Sharma!! Captaincy era begins vs Australia

Shreyas Iyer, who missed out on selection for India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, is set to captain India A in the upcoming series against Australia A. According to a report by Cricbuzz, he will lead the team in two four-day unofficial Test matches, as well as three one-day games scheduled in September and October.

Shreyas Iyer is currently playing for the West Zone in the ongoing Duleep Trophy 2025. The Mumbai batter has appeared in 14 Test matches for India. However, Shreyas Iyer has not featured in red-ball cricket for the national team since February 2024. Iyer has maintained impressive form throughout the year in domestic cricket.

Australia A to Tour India from September 16 to October 5

Australia A will tour India from September 16 to October 5 for a series of two four-day red-ball matches and three one-day games.

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As per the schedule, the unofficial Tests will be played at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow from September 16-19 and 23-26, while the ODIs will take place at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on September 30, October 3, and October 5.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet announced the India A squad for the series. Notably, the selection is expected to take place after the Duleep Trophy semifinals conclude on September 7, just ahead of the first unofficial Test in Lucknow.

Shreyas Iyer Set to Play for India A, Could Be Named Captain

According to Cricbuzz, Shreyas Iyer is set to play for India A in the upcoming red-ball series against Australia A. The report added that he could be given the captaincy. While his selection for the squad is considered certain, he could be assigned a “prominent role in the side – captaincy or otherwise.”

Shreyas Iyer was overlooked for India A’s series against England Lions ahead of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. He was a member of India’s Champions Trophy-winning team in Dubai and led Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final.

The middle-order batter scored 604 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 175.07 during IPL 2025. He also amassed 480 runs in the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy at an average of 68.57. Iyer was surprisingly left out of India’s Asia Cup squad.

Narayan Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Rajat Patidar in Contention for India A

Top performers from the ongoing Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru are likely to be considered for selection alongside players such as all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and batters Abhimanyu Easwaran, a former India A captain, and B Sai Sudharsan.

Narayan Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Rajat Patidar are also in contention. Jagadeesan, who replaced Rishabh Pant in India’s squad for the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, scored 197 for South Zone in the first innings against North Zone on September 5.

Gaikwad scored 184 runs for the West Zone against the Central Zone. Patidar made 125 and 66 in the previous quarterfinal and was unbeaten on 47 in the ongoing semifinal against West Zone. Gaikwad and Jagadeesan are yet to feature in a Test match for India, while Patidar has played three Tests.

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