Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has revealed that intense physical demands and dwindling energy levels during prolonged fielding sessions prompted his six-month hiatus from red-ball cricket, a decision aimed at preserving his body for white-ball formats. Speaking after his resilient 61 in India’s two-wicket loss to Australia in the second ODI on October 23, 2025, at Adelaide Oval, Iyer explained, “When I played red-ball cricket after the IPL, I realised that if I field for long spells on the ground, my intensity starts to go down. And the intensity that you need to maintain in international cricket, I wasn’t able to match up to it.” The 29-year-old emphasised the stark contrast with ODIs, where built-in rest days facilitate recovery, unlike the relentless grind of Tests.

Iyer’s break began after captaining India A in the first unofficial Test against Australia A, only to withdraw from the second due to a recurring lower-back injury—the same issue that required surgery in London in 2023. The BCCI later confirmed the setback, underscoring Iyer’s proactive approach to managing workload. During his time away, he focused on technical refinement, adopting a more upright batting stance to counter extra bounce on seaming tracks. “Since last year, I wanted to have an upright stance, especially on wickets where the bounce is a little more than expected. I grew up playing with that kind of stance, so I just thought of going back to my old method,” he said, crediting the adjustment for enhanced adaptability across conditions, from Mumbai’s red-soil pitches to Australian greens.

In Adelaide, Iyer’s disciplined knock—forged in a crucial 118-run partnership with captain Rohit Sharma—helped India recover from early jitters against a probing Josh Hazlewood, who exploited seam movement. “Hazlewood was bowling brilliantly. The ball was seaming in and out, and it wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on at the start,” Iyer noted, praising the duo’s strategy of blending caution with strike rotation to build momentum. His composed approach under pressure reaffirmed his value in the ODI setup, where India now trail 0-2 heading into the Sydney decider.

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Iyer’s candid admission highlights a growing trend among modern cricketers prioritising format-specific fitness and longevity amid packed calendars. With the Champions Trophy looming in 2026 and a white-ball series against South Africa next, his recalibrated technique and renewed physical focus position him as a linchpin in India’s middle order. As he eyes sustained performance across limited-overs cricket, Iyer’s strategic sabbatical from Tests reflects a pragmatic balance between ambition and bodily limits in an era demanding peak output year-round.

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