Sourav Ganguly Criticizes Selection Committee for Excluding Shreyas Iyer from Test Squad
Ganguly's Disappointment Over Iyer's Exclusion
Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of India and current president of the BCCI, has voiced his dissatisfaction regarding the decision made by the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, to omit Shreyas Iyer from the Indian squad for the upcoming Test series against England, which is set to commence on June 20.
Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector for the men's senior team, revealed an 18-member squad for the five-match Test series against England. Notably absent from this list was Shreyas Iyer, despite expectations that he would be included following the retirements of prominent players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Instead, players such as Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur, and Arshdeep Singh were selected.
Iyer's Recent Performance and Selection Remarks
Shreyas Iyer recently made his return to international cricket during the ODI series against England and the Champions Trophy this year. Although he displayed flashes of his talent, he was ultimately left out of the Test squad. When questioned about Iyer's exclusion, Agarkar stated that he currently does not fit into the team.
Ganguly's Strong Defense of Iyer
In response to Iyer's omission, Ganguly did not hold back in criticizing the BCCI selection committee, asserting that Iyer should not have been excluded from the squad. He remarked, "He has been performing exceptionally well over the past year and deserves a spot on this team. His performance has been outstanding, and he is not the player who should be left out."
Ganguly further emphasized Iyer's ability to handle pressure and take responsibility, noting, "He has shown that he can score under pressure and handle short balls effectively. While Test cricket is different, I would have included him in this series to assess his capabilities."
Iyer's Recent Achievements and Future Prospects
Shreyas Iyer's last appearance in Test cricket was during the second Test against England in Vizag in February of the previous year. Following that match, he was not selected for national duties due to not adhering to the BCCI's directive to participate in domestic cricket, which led to his removal from the central contract list. However, Iyer managed to regain his central contract due to his impressive performances in domestic competitions and the Champions Trophy 2025.
In the Ranji Trophy 2024/25 season, Iyer had a remarkable run, scoring 480 runs, including two centuries, with an impressive average of 68.57 across seven innings.
Iyer's Anticipated Return to International Cricket
Shreyas Iyer is expected to make his return to international cricket in August for the ODI series against Bangladesh. It remains uncertain whether he will be included in the T20I squad for the same series, especially considering his outstanding performance in IPL 2025, where he scored 604 runs, including six fifties, at an average of 50.33 over 17 matches.
Additionally, Iyer has reportedly entered the race for the white-ball captaincy following his successful season as the Punjab Kings skipper, leading the team to its first IPL final in 11 years, although they were defeated by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on June 3. According to a source close to the BCCI, Iyer's impressive performance means he cannot be overlooked for both the Test and ODI squads.
"Currently, he is only playing ODIs, but after this IPL season, we cannot exclude him from T20 internationals or Tests. He has also officially entered the race for the white-ball captaincy," the BCCI source stated.
Shreyas Iyer is also leading the SOBO Mumbai Falcons, who have reached the final of the Mumbai T20 League after defeating Bandra Blasters in the semifinal. They will face the Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals in the final at Wankhede Stadium on June 12.