Ajit Agarkar breaks silence on Shreyas Iyer replacing Rohit Sharma as ODI captain

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Shreyas Iyer Has Taken a Six-Month Break From Red-Ball Cricket

India men's chief selector Ajit Agarkar has broken his silence on middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer leading the national cricket team in the ODI format. The 47-year-old stated that Iyer was picked as captain for India A to assess his leadership qualities without consideration for the captaincy of the Men in Blue.

Shreyas asked the BCCI for a break from red-ball cricket to manage his back problems. However, he has been appointed captain of India A for their three-match ODI series against Australia A in Kanpur, starting on September 30. He hasn't been picked for the two-match Test series against the West Indies.

There has been speculation around Shreyas Iyer's promotion as India's ODI captain after the India A squad announcement. Ajit Agarkar was asked about Iyer during a press conference on Thursday, September 25.

Agarkar stated that the India A captaincy is not for future roles. He added that the panel has not yet discussed the 50-over captaincy. The former cricketer clarified that Iyer is not under consideration for captaincy at the moment.

"I don't think we've discussed the 50 format. At the moment we had to pick the team for these two Test matches. Look, Shreyas is a senior player. He obviously leads his franchise in IPL cricket. He's one of the senior guys," Agarkar said.

"He was captain for India A as well. It's not like because of that we are looking at him as a Test captain. So, you are trying to find qualities of a leader in a lot of people, and India A sort of gives us an opportunity to see if somebody has that ability," he added.

Ajit Agarkar also spoke about Shreyas Iyer's decision to take a six-month break from red-ball cricket. Agarkar emphasized that Iyer remains a crucial player in the ODI setup. He noted that Iyer's absence from red-ball cricket gives the other players an opportunity.

"Unfortunately, I think the statement was put out already with regards to his fitness in terms of red-ball cricket. He won't be available, and that gives us a chance," Agarkar opined.

"I mean, he's been a key player in one-day cricket over the last few years. So, he gets three games before we go to Australia, and more than anything, we want him playing and playing well there because he becomes a key member in the one-day squad," he added.

Shreyas Iyer, who has been battling recurring back issues since late 2022, has taken a six-month break from red-ball cricket. He withdrew from the ongoing four-day India A vs Australia A match in Lucknow, having captained India A in the opening game.

He was expected to play in the Irani Cup clash between Rest of India and Ranji champions Vidarbha. However, he has been included in the one-day squad for the series against Australia A.

The right-handed batter underwent surgery in April 2023 after the injury flared up during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, causing him to miss IPL 2023. He made a strong return in the Asia Cup and later played a crucial role in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, where India finished as runner-up.

Iyer last played for India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he was the leading run-getter for the team, scoring 243 runs in five innings at an average of 48.60, helping India secure the trophy. He also guided the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the final in IPL 2025.