India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar has clarified that although Shreyas Iyer has been appointed captain of India A, this does not confirm he will lead the senior ODI side in the future. Speaking at a press conference, he added that the selectors are looking to identify leadership qualities in several players.
“I don’t think we’ve discussed the ODI format yet,” Agarkar said at the press conference in Dubai. “Shreyas is a senior player and leads his franchise in the IPL. He’s one of the senior guys. He has captained India A before, but that doesn’t mean we are looking at him as our Test captain. We’re trying to identify leadership qualities in a lot of players. India A gives us that opportunity.”
Iyer had requested a six-month break from red-ball cricket due to a recurring back problem. Speculation had emerged around Iyer becoming India’s future ODI captain after he was handed the India A leadership, but the chief selector has dismissed those rumours.
Agarkar also emphasised that Iyer remains an integral part of the ODI side.
“The statement on his red-ball career just came out, and that gives us a window. He has been key in ODIs. He’ll get three games before we head to Australia. More than anything, we want him to play well,” he added.
Iyer was India’s top run-scorer in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, amassing 243 runs in five matches at an average of 48.60, with a highest score of 79. He also led his IPL franchise, the Punjab Kings, to the final of IPL 2025. However, he was not selected for the Asia Cup 2025 squad — a decision by the selectors that drew criticism from several experts.
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