'He Is Unfit for Red-Ball Cricket' – Former India captain criticizes Shreyas Iyer for taking Red-Ball break

Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has criticized star batsman Shreyas Iyer for taking a six-month break from red-ball cricket. Vengsarkar was shocked when Iyer quoted fitness concerns for red-ball cricket but being perfectly fit for white-ball cricket. The 30-year-old Iyer has played 14 Tests for India, making 811 runs with an average of 36.86, including one century and five half-centuries.

Iyer played his last Test in February 2024 before being dropped on grounds of form and fitness issues. He has since played numerous red-ball games in domestic cricket. He was recently appointed captain of India A for the four-day series against Australia A but left the second game after participating in the first.

He was also expected to feature in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup and was in line for a potential return to the Indian Test team for the home series against the West Indies. However, Iyer requested a six-month break from red-ball cricket due to back concerns, which the BCCI approved. Secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the period would allow Iyer to build endurance and work on fitness levels.

Vengsarkar Questions Red-Ball Break

Despite the BCCI’s approval, Vengsarkar is unhappy with Iyer’s decision. Speaking to Mid-day, he said, “To be honest, it’s a dilemma for me, because he [Iyer] says that he is unfit for red-ball cricket but is fit for the white-ball cricket. I don’t understand the difference between red-ball cricket and white-ball cricket. I feel that if you are fit for white-ball cricket, you are obviously fit for red-ball cricket too. Choosing red-ball or white-ball and such things are beyond my comprehension.”

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Meanwhile, with Rohit Sharma recently sacked as India’s ODI captain, Shubman Gill was elevated to captain for the Australia tour, and Iyer was named his deputy. Legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh praised Iyer’s return to a leadership role, calling him an impact player. “I’m very happy for Shreyas Iyer. He’s one of those guys who hardly gets the credit he deserves. We talk about that World Cup in India, he scored back-to-back centuries, and with what pace! He’s an impact player; when he gets going, he makes things easy for the dressing room and the other batters. I’m happy he’s back in the scheme of things, not just as a player but with a bigger responsibility as vice-captain. I’m looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table in terms of ideas and how he and Shubman Gill take this team forward,” he added.