Shreyas Iyer named captain as BCCI announces India A squad for multi-day matches against Australia A

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the India A squad for the upcoming two multi-day matches against Australia A, starting September 16, in Lucknow. Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been given the responsibility of leading the team, while promising wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has been named vice-captain.

The announced squad reflects a healthy balance of experienced names and rising stars. Alongside Shreyas Iyer, the batting line-up features Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan and Ayush Badoni, all of whom have impressed in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The wicketkeeping department includes N Jagadeesan and vice-captain Dhruv Jurel, offering flexibility behind the stumps. The bowling unit features a mix of pace and spin, with Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar and Yash Thakur spearheading the pace attack, while Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey, and Tanush Kotian provide spin options.

Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhimanyu Easwaran, N Jagadeesan (wk), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (vc & wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Ayush Badoni, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed, Manav Suthar, Yash Thakur

A notable development is that KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj will join the squad for the second multi-day match, replacing two players from the initial roster.

The Australia A tour of India 2025 features two four-day multi-day games, both scheduled at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, followed by three one-day matches at the Green Park, Kanpur.

Also READ: Sam Konstas gets Australia A call-up for India tour

The contests between India A and Australia A have historically been highly competitive, often seen as a testing ground for future international stars. These matches provide valuable experience against quality opposition and replicate the intensity of international cricket.

For India, the series offers a golden opportunity to evaluate young talent in longer formats. Players like Sudharsan, Padikkal and Jurel are seen as future red-ball prospects, while bowlers like Prasidh Krishna and Khaleel Ahmed will look to strengthen their case for senior team selection.

With India’s senior team engaged in a busy international calendar, including the upcoming Test series against the West Indies, the selectors have placed emphasis on building bench strength.

Also READ: BCCI breaks silence on rumours of Shreyas Iyer replacing Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain