Shreyas Iyer's name has once again entered the spotlight. Not for his batting but for his future in Test cricket.
With Indian cricket already in a transition phase following Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's exits from the format, the selectors face another potential blow.
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Iyer, who has been dealing with persistent back issues, is now reportedly weighing up a move similar to Hardik Pandya - stepping away from red-ball cricket to extend his white-ball career, according to journalist Vaibhav Bhola.
The timing is critical as India prepares to announce the squad for the upcoming home Test series against the West Indies.
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Shreyas Iyer's sudden withdrawal from India A sparks questions
Iyer pulled out of India A's second unofficial Test against Australia A in Lucknow at the last moment, citing personal reasons. He also gave up the India A captaincy before flying back to Mumbai, with Dhruv Jurel named as his replacement.
The unexpected decision has fueled speculation about whether the 30-year-old batter is prepared to commit to the demands of five-day cricket.
Will Shreyas Iyer quit Test cricket? Report
News 24 has reported that Iyer's reluctance to play Test cricket stems from recurring back injuries. A senior BCCI official told the channel:
"Shreyas Iyer is not very keen on playing Test cricket because of his back injury. He can't stand on the field for five days. He wants to focus only on white-ball cricket. Most likely to miss the West Indies series."
Despite being a vital part of India's ODI and T20I setup, Iyer has never managed to make his place in the Test XI. He missed the England tour and the Asia Cup 2025 but played a key role in India's ICC Champions Trophy win earlier this year and Punjab Kings' run to the IPL 2025 playoffs.
Iyer's absence from the West Indies Tests, if confirmed, would underline his shift toward a white-ball-only role. Whether this develops into a formal Test retirement remains to be seen, but his long-format future now looks increasingly uncertain.
The Indian Express reports that Iyer is not contemplating leaving Test cricket completely. For now, he has requested to take a break from the longest format until his body permits him to get back to red-ball cricket.
A source told IE, "He has informed us that he (Iyer) will be taking a break from red ball cricket and it’s good that he has cleared it out because selectors are now clear about his future. He won’t be playing red ball cricket in coming months and he has informed the board that he will assess his body in future in consultation with physios and trainer and take a call on it."
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