India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has addressed the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer from the 18-member squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds.
Despite being in impressive form across both international and domestic formats, Iyer was not only left out of the senior Test squad but also omitted from the India A side set to face the England Lions. His continued omission has raised eyebrows, especially given his consistent run with the bat in recent months.
Gambhir, when asked about Iyer’s exclusion, had a short answer:
“Anyone can be called if you are in form. We can only pick 18. The chairman of selectors have answered the questioned,” Gambhir said in the press-conference held in Mumbai.
Just a week ago, Gambhir had firmly distanced himself from the selection process, saying:
“I’m not a selector,” in response to media queries about Iyer’s exclusion.
Ajit Agarkar, chairman of the selection committee, had earlier provided a detailed explanation during the squad announcement:
“Shreyas had a good one-day series, played well in domestic as well but right now there’s no room in Test cricket,” Agarkar said while addressing the reporters in Mumbai during the squad announcement.
In-form Iyer has to wait
While Iyer’s overall Test record may not be extensive, it is far from underwhelming. In 14 appearances, he has scored 811 runs, including a memorable century on debut against New Zealand, followed by a half-century in the same match. He has also delivered in crunch situations with the bat. Contributions such as a 92 against Sri Lanka, and scores of 86 and 87 versus Bangladesh, stands out in his short Test career so far.
Iyer’s last appearance in a Test came in February 2024 against England in Visakhapatnam. For now, it appears Iyer will have to wait a bit longer before donning the whites for India again.
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