Shreyas Iyer’s absence from India’s Test squad for the upcoming five-match series against England has raised eyebrows among fans and experts alike. Despite a strong showing in the recent Ranji Trophy season, the Mumbai and Punjab Kings batter was overlooked by the selectors, with chief selector Ajit Agarkar explaining that there simply wasn’t “room” for him in the current setup.
Iyer, who last featured in the Test side during the home series against England in February 2024, found himself sidelined midway due to a combination of poor form and a lingering back issue. While he’s remained active in white-ball formats since then, his red-ball credentials received a boost with a solid Ranji campaign, scoring 480 runs at an impressive average of 68.57, including two centuries, as Mumbai reached the semifinals.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed Sarfaraz Khan’s omission from the England Test tour, acknowledging that selection in India’s competitive setup can sometimes be unfair to individuals. Despite Sarfaraz’s decent start—371 runs in six Tests with a century against New Zealand—his form dipped, and he wasn’t picked for overseas tours like Australia. Instead, Karun Nair earned a recall after a strong domestic run, including county cricket performances. “It’s fair on somebody, unfair on someone else. Karun has scored heaps of runs,” Agarkar stated, highlighting the tough choices the selectors face while shaping India’s squad for challenging overseas assignments.
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At a press conference announcing the squad, Agarkar acknowledged Iyer’s recent form but maintained that the middle-order slots are highly competitive. “Shreyas had a good ODI series and did well in domestic cricket too,” Ajit Agarkar noted. “But at the moment, there’s no place. If he keeps performing, I’m sure his time in Test cricket will come again.”
In Iyer’s absence, the selectors have opted for fresh faces like Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, both of whom impressed during the domestic season. With stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma not part of the squad, the middle-order composition sees a new look with Jurel, Shubman Gill — now India’s new Test captain — and Sai Sudharsan all included.
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The selectors have also focused on all-round depth, handing call-ups to Shardul Thakur and young Nitish Kumar Reddy. Explaining the choices, Agarkar said, “Shardul gives you that balance as a bowling all-rounder. Nitish, on the other hand, is a promising batting all-rounder who’s also part of the India A tour. He’s impressed with the bat and can chip in with the ball. Hopefully, his bowling continues to develop.”
For now, Iyer will need to bide his time, but with a crowded calendar and constant reshuffles, the door to the Test arena might not be shut for long.
