Shreyas Iyer has been handed the captaincy of the India A team for the upcoming two multi-day matches against Australia A, as confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday. The right-handed batter, who was recently left out of India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, will now get a leadership opportunity in the longer format as selectors continue to explore options for the national setup. Iyer, who also leads Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, has been in strong form and was expected to be part of the Asia Cup squad. However, despite scoring over 600 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 175 and guiding PBKS to their first final in 11 years, he was omitted; a decision that drew criticism from fans and experts alike.
This leadership role comes amid growing speculation that Iyer is being groomed as a potential successor to Rohit Sharma in the ODI format. A recent report by Dainik Jagran claimed that Iyer could soon take over from Rohit as India’s next 50-over captain. Other reports, however, suggest that Shubman Gill is also in contention for the role, particularly after his consistent performances as vice-captain.
The selection panel, headed by Ajit Agarkar, has faced backlash for excluding Iyer from the Asia Cup squad despite his proven track record. Assigning him the India A captaincy may be seen as a way to keep him in the leadership mix ahead of a packed home season.
India A will take on Australia A in two unofficial Tests starting September 16, followed by the second from September 23. Both red-ball games will be played in Lucknow. The teams are also scheduled to play three unofficial ODIs, although the squad for those matches has not yet been announced.
This opportunity could also boost Iyer’s chances of returning to the senior Test side, having been out of the format since 2024. The upcoming home series against the West Indies and South Africa presents another opening, especially since players like Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair struggled during the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against England.
In a significant move, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj will join the India A squad for the second multi-day match. The BCCI confirmed that they will replace two existing players, although the names of those being replaced remain undisclosed. This inclusion will allow both Rahul and Siraj to regain match fitness ahead of India’s home season beginning October 2. Neither player is part of the Asia Cup squad and both had been rested after the drawn five-match Test series against England.
India A Squad for Two Multi-Day Matches vs Australia A:
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, N Jagadeesan (Wicketkeeper), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (Vice-Captain & Wicketkeeper), Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Ayush Badoni, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed, Manav Suthar, Yash Thakur