3 Indian cricketers who gave up a specific format without retiring
Rajat Patidar, Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer have each stepped away from one format while remaining active in others.
Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer communicated to the BCCI in September 2025 that he needed a six-month break from red-ball cricket. The decision came after persistent back spasms and stiffness that surfaced while playing the longer format, and it followed an earlier back surgery he had undergone in the United Kingdom. The break ruled him out of India's World Test Championship assignments against the West Indies and South Africa. During this period, Iyer concentrated on building his endurance and physical resilience while continuing to represent India in white-ball cricket.
His most recent ODI was on November 7, 2026 against New Zealand, and his most recent T20I was on November 1, 2026 against New Zealand. Iyer has not retired from Test cricket and remains eligible to return to the format. He made his Test debut on November 25, 2021 against New Zealand and last played a Test on February 2, 2024 against England.
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