Shreyas Iyer was omitted from the 18-man squad for the England tour despite strong performances in domestic cricket. But the PBKS skipper remains undeterred, waiting to prove a point yet again.
Indian batter and Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer was left out from a spot in the 18-man squad for the five-match England tour. Over the last year or so, Iyer has played consistently good knocks in domestic cricket, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, but it looked as if that wasn’t enough for the selectors to consider him back in the Indian Test setup.
Notably, Iyer found himself out of an India contract last for 2023-24 after missing a domestic match, but the batter returned to BCCI’s (Board of Control for Cricket in India) central contract list this year for 2024-25 after his applause-worthy performance in the ICC Champions Trophy helped Team India win the 50-over event. Shreyas Iyer not making to the group will feel like a setback, given his deep ambition to cement his place as a bonafide red-ball cricket player.
He has particularly made a complete turnaround in his batting approach, scored heaps of runs across the three formats and proven his calibre time and again. It may seem as though losing out the central contract previously might be an underlying cause, but with plenty of age and experience on his side, he could be back in the team soon if he continues to deliver with the same momentum and spirit.
His omission from India’s Test squad despite his sublime Ranji campaign last season, during which he scored 480 runs at an average of 68.57, leaves a lot of fodder to question about and understand. The All-India Selection Committee picked the squad for the five Tests against England, in which the exclusion of certain names has left fans startled.
Let us delve into the Top 5 reasons why Shreyas Iyer would have been a match-winner in the squad:
- The middle-order batter played a crucial role in India’s Champions Trophy-winning campaign and left everyone impressed with his composure and prowess.
- The selectors went ahead with Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair for the big tour, instead of Iyer, who has been in real form off late and understands the playing conditions in England deeply.
- He was once touted to replace Ajinkya Rahane in the middle-order, but has now lost that spot unfortunately, which must be returned to him since he has energy, age and an aggression which suits the temperament test cricket requires.
- Having played his last Test match for India in May 2024 against England itself, he would have been the perfect candidate to resume the test cricket journey against the same country and team.
- His improved hand-eye coordination, timing and abundant assessment to read the game conditions could have served as a space for him as a backup batter in the middle order.
He was left out of the Test set-up after his weakness against short balls was exposed on the big stage earlier, but the Mumbai-based Ranjit Trophy player worked on it during the domestic season and bounced back well in the Champions Trophy with the required tweaks in his technique.
It is a no-brainer that Shreyas will indeed be quite disappointed for missing a spot in the squad, because of the way he batted. His maturity and sensibility in the domestic tournaments last year should have helped him garner a seat in the Indian camp for the England tour.
The Chairman of BCCI’s selection committee, Ajit Agarkar though did not explicitly mention the reason for his exclusion, he was hopeful of the middle-order batsman finding a spot back in Test cricket at some stage. His stance on no vacant position in the squad, will certainly sting Iyer, given his credible show on the field across all formats.
Way Forward for Shreyas Iyer
Ignored for the Tests, Iyer has a point to prove now. The ongoing IPL (Indian Premier League) offers that ideal platform from where he can draw his confidence for his refined batting and leadership, which have thrust him into the spotlight. His IPL 2025 campaign with Punjab Kings has earned him accolades from all corners, that was amiss despite the championship victory in IPL 2024 as a captain of Kolkata Knight Riders last year.
Across the 13 innings this season, Iyer has amassed 488 runs at an admirable average of 48.80 and a strike rate of over 172. His 29 sixes and 37 fours underline his aggressive approach, making him a standout performer and a top-quality batsman. His unique capability to blend consistency with intent have catapulted his strategic acumen to a high pedestal. As his team made its official entry into the Top 4 since IPL 2014, the firepower in his cricketing style, for both red-ball and white-ball cricket have earned him a reputation as a solid batsman.
With Shreyas Iyer not making it to the official squad, all eyes now focus on Iyer taking PBKS into the IPL finals and fight for an eventual titular victory. As far as the upcoming test tour is concerned, Shubman Gill has been announced as India’s new test captain, while Rishabh Pant as his vice-captain. With high expectations from the two dynamic young batsmen, India’s future in the red-ball cricket circle sets its foot in a new transformative wave, as strives to achieve glory with a reformed set-up.
FAQs on Shreyas Iyer
1)Shreyas Iyer is the captain of which IPL team?
Shreyas Iyer is the captain of Punjab Kings in IPL 2025.
2) How many runs did Shreyas Iyer score in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024?
In SMAT 2024, Shreyas Iyer scored 345 runs from 8 innings at an average of 49.29.
3) How many runs did Shreyas Iyer score in Ranji Trophy 2024?
Shreyas Iyer amassed 452 runs with a batting average of 90.4 and a strike rate of over 88 in the Ranji Trophy season for 2024.
The post Shreyas Iyer Misses Spot in Test Squad for England, Braces for a Strong Comeback Response appeared first on Sportzcraazy.
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