'Not a selector': Gautam Gambhir on Shreyas Iyer's Test exclusion
What's the story
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has remained tight-lipped about Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from the Test squad for the upcoming England tour. The five-match Test series is set to begin on June 20. Despite his stellar form in the ongoing Indian Premier League, Iyer was not added to India's 18-man squad for the tour. Shubman Gill will lead the side, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy.
Coach's reply
How Gambhir responded to Iyer's exclusion
When asked about Iyer's omission for the England tour, Gambhir said, "I am not a selector." His response was short and to the point. Notably, Gambhir and Iyer worked together in the 2024 IPL season. The latter led KKR to a historic title while Gambhir was the side's mentor. Although Iyer is India's mainstay ODI batter, he could not secure a place in the Test squad.
Struggle
Iyer's struggle in Test cricket
Iyer, who scored a historic ton on his Test debut in 2021, has been struggling to maintain his form in the longest format. The Indian batter had been under the scanner for his shortcomings against short deliveries. However, he seems to have adjusted his technique lately. Notaboy, Iyer last featured in a Test in February 2024, against England in Visakhapatnam. Overall, he owns 811 runs from 14 Tests at 36.86 (100: 1 and 50s: 5).
Information
Iyer averaged 68.57 in Ranji Trophy
After his Test snub, Iyer was quite active in the domestic circuit. He featured in the Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy. Iyer finished the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy with 480 runs at an incredible average of 68.57. He slammed two tons.
Information
India's squad for England tour
India's squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain and wicket-keeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.