Overview

• Iyer formally wrote to chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar requesting a break from first-class cricket and asking not to be considered for the upcoming home Tests against the West Indies.
• He withdrew from India A’s second unofficial Test against Australia A in Lucknow after leaving the camp, having earlier been appointed captain for the two-match series.
• Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel took over leadership duties in his absence for the ongoing four-day match.
• PTI reports that Iyer will head to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for further assessment and a recovery plan for recurring back stiffness and fatigue.
• The decision leaves him unavailable for immediate red-ball selection and puts his early Ranji Trophy participation in doubt, creating openings for other middle-order contenders such as Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal.