Follow UsIndia batter Shreyas Iyer was recently granted a break from red-ball cricket after the player requested it. However, he will be available for selection in white-ball cricket in domestic and international cricket.
As a result, Iyer becomes a one-format player for India, being selected only in One-Day Internationals (ODI). Hence, former India batter Aakash Chopra believes he could be moved to a lower category in his BCCI contract. Iyer is currently in the B category and could be moved to C, according to Chopra.
"Shreyas Iyer has said that he wants to take rest. It's an interesting one because he has taken a six-month sabbatical. He has pain in his back. He had a back problem earlier as well. He got a surgery done too, has returned now, but he is not feeling the same," Chopra said, as per Republicworld.com.
"What will be the ramifications of this? The thing for Karun Nair is true for him as well, as whoever plays will cement his place. So he won't get a place easily. Secondly, I feel an issue might come up in his contract as he is still a one-format player. His name has not come in T20Is. He plays only ODIs. So he is going to be in the lower category in the contracts."
Iyer was expected to be named in the Asia Cup 2025 squad following stellar performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he was overlooked for the eight-team event. He was not picked in the India squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies as he had requested for a break.
Hence, the next time we could see the 30-year-old play for India will be in the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting October 19.