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New Delhi: Team India batter Shreyas Iyer has opened up about his decision to take a break from red-ball cricket, emphasising the importance of managing workload across formats to maintain intensity. Speaking after India’s two-wicket defeat against Australia in the second ODI at Adelaide, Iyer said that workload management and technical adjustments in the batting have been key to staying consistent.
Iyer forged a crucial 118-run partnership with Rohit Sharma for the third wicket against a difficult Australian bowling attack to help India post a competitive total of 264/9. He flopped on his ODI return in Perth, but scored 61 runs off 77 balls with the help of seven boundaries at the Adelaide Oval. Australia are leading the series 2-0, and will face India in the third and final ODI on October 25 in Sydney.
Earlier this month, Iyer formally requested a six-month break from red-ball cricket due to back issues. The BCCI approved his request after reviewing it, which enabled him to focus on white-ball cricket while prioritising his physical health.
Explaining his decision, Iyer said when he came to red-ball cricket after the Champions Trophy and IPL, he found out that when he fielded more than a few overs in the ground, his intensity went down.
"And the intensity that has to be maintained at the international level, I realised I was not able to match that. So I took that decision (of taking a break from red-ball cricket), and I conveyed my message (to the selectors)," Iyer said in the post-match press conference.
The 30-year-old has had a sensational year with the bat, cementing his place as the No. 4 batter in the ODI squad. He was the team's highest run-scorer in the 2025 Champions Trophy and led his franchise to the IPL final. However, Iyer was not part of India’s T20I team for the recently concluded Asia Cup and has decided to step away from red-ball cricket.
