Shreyas Iyer will reportedly captain India A vs Australia A
Series against Australia A runs from 16 September to 5 October
Matches scheduled in Lucknow's Ekana Stadium and Kanpur's Green Park
Shreyas Iyer, overlooked for India’s recent Asia Cup 2025 squad, will captain India A in the upcoming red-ball series against Australia A, as per a report by Cricbuzz. He will reportedly lead the side in two four-day matches and three one-day games scheduled from 16 September to 5 October, across Lucknow and Kanpur.
Iyer’s New Leadership Role After Asia Cup Snub
The Australia A side will tour India from 16 September to 5 October. The unofficial Tests are set for Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium from 16-19 September and 23-26 September. The one-day matches will be played at Kanpur’s Green Park on 30 September, 3 October, and 5 October.
Iyer is currently in action in the Duleep Trophy 2025 semifinals for West Zone. The Cricbuzz report indicated he could be assigned a “prominent role in the side – captaincy or otherwise”.
Iyer was the captain for the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, leading them to a final finish. He previously led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title last year. In 2025, he said that captaincy “brings in a lot of maturity and responsibility” in him.
Duleep Trophy Performances Influence India A Selection
Selectors expect to draw players for India A from strong performances in the Duleep Trophy. Besides Iyer, contenders include all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and seasoned batters such as Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has prior India A captaincy experience, and B Sai Sudharsan. Others in consideration include Narayan Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Rajat Patidar. These players are all piling up significant runs in the current domestic season.
Narayan Jagadeesan, who stepped in for Rishabh Pant in the international squad, scored 197 in a Duleep Trophy first innings. Ruturaj Gaikwad tallied 184, while Rajat Patidar registered scores of 125 and 66 in a quarter-final and remained unbeaten on 47 in the subsequent semifinal.
India A Vs Australia A Series Timeline
The first unofficial Test begins in Lucknow on 16 September, just days after the Duleep Trophy final concludes on 11 September. With the second red-ball game later in September and one-dayers commencing in early October at Green Park, selectors will likely announce the squad once the Duleep Trophy semifinals conclude on 7 September.
Iyer ranked among the top batters in IPL 2025. While he missed selection for the T20 squad for the Asia Cup 2025, which will commence in the UAE on 9 September, his consideration for red-ball games suggests he remains in contention for future matches.
This includes the home Test series against the West Indies in October and a potential away red-ball series in Australia later.
