Shreyas Iyer to miss India's ODI series against West Indies due to Asian Games 2026

Shreyas Iyer will be absent from the upcoming home ODI series against the West Indies despite holding the role of vice-captain for India's 50-over team, a leadership position he has occupied since October 2025. His unavailability stems from national commitments abroad, as he will be leading the India's T20I side at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Shreyas Iyer to skip West Indies ODI series due to Asian Games 2026

The scheduling overlap creates a rare circumstance where Indian cricket will operate on two fronts simultaneously. The T20-format Asian Games tournament sees India open their campaign on September 22 against hosts Japan, followed by a direct entry into the quarter-finals on September 28. Should Iyer’s side advance through the semi-finals on October 1, the gold medal match on October 3 in Japan will coincide directly with the third ODI between India and the West Indies in New Chandigarh, resulting in two national lineups taking the field on the exact same day.

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A total of ten teams are set to contend in the men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games 2026. The preliminary round places Nepal, Japan, and Afghanistan together in Group A, while Group B comprises Oman, Malaysia, and Hong Kong China. Only the top two finishers from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, joining four directly seeded heavyweights, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Knockout play begins on September 28, with Pakistan taking on the Group B runner-up before India matches up against the runner-up from Group A. The following day features the remaining quarter-finals as Sri Lanka plays the Group A winner and Bangladesh faces the top side from Group B, setting the stage for the semi-finals on October 1. The Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Games mark cricket’s fourth inclusion in the continental event. After debuting at Guangzhou 2010 and returning for Incheon 2014, the sport was left off the schedule for Jakarta 2018 before making its comeback at Hangzhou 2023. Across all three previous editions, the competition has consistently featured separate T20 tournaments for men and women. In their Asian Games cricket debut at Hangzhou 2023, India executed a sweep of the gold medals. The women’s squad earned top honors by defeating Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the final, while the men’s side claimed gold over Afghanistan when rain forced an early end to their championship match.

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