![Shreyas Iyer has taken a break from red-ball cricket [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1759814386212_ShreyasIyerDilipVengasarkar.jpg?type=hq)
Shreyas Iyer has taken a break from red-ball cricket [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]
Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar isn’t buying Shreyas Iyer’s reasoning for sitting out of red-ball cricket. The 30-year-old batter, who recently led India A in an unofficial Test against Australia A, decided to skip the second match citing back issues yet remains available for white-ball formats, including the upcoming ODI series against Australia.
Vengsarkar questions Iyer’s ‘selective fitness’
That double standard didn’t sit well with Vengsarkar, a man known for calling a spade a spade. The former chief selector voiced his confusion loud and clear, saying it is baffling that Shreyas Iyer can be “unfit” for one format but fully fit for another.
Speaking to Mid-Day, Vengsarkar 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 the 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.”
The former selector’s words cut deep and display a growing concern about how players are prioritising shorter formats, often at the expense of the traditional game.
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A shift in focus or a convenient excuse
Shreyas Iyer’s Test career has been stuck in neutral since early 2024. Once seen as the next big thing in India’s middle order, he has featured in 14 Tests, scoring 811 runs at an average of 36.86. While the numbers aren’t shabby, a mix of inconsistency and injuries saw him fall out of the Test setup.
But even with his name missing from the red-ball squad, Iyer remains central to India’s white-ball plans, recently appointed as vice-captain for the ODI series against Australia. That is what has raised eyebrows. When you are fit enough to bat, dive, and field in the fast-paced world of limited-overs cricket, how can you not do the same in the longer format?
Old-school voices demand accountability
Vengsarkar isn’t the only one raising concerns. There is a growing sentiment among former cricketers that this “format-specific fitness” talk is becoming a convenient shield for players who want to avoid the grind of Test cricket. The red-ball game demands patience and concentration, qualities that built the reputations of legends like Dilip Vengsarkar himself.
And that is what makes the situation sting even more for purists. When a player of Iyer’s calibre picks formats, it sends the wrong message that the whites can wait, as long as the coloured jerseys keep coming.
Whether this is a temporary phase or a long-term shift in mindset, the question remains: should players have the liberty to choose formats based on preference when representing India?
