ENG Vs IND: Ganguly SLAMS Agarkar-Led Selection Committee For Shreyas' Snub From India Test Squad

Former India captain and the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly expressed his disappointment over the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee's decision to drop Shreyas Iyer from the India squad for the Test series against England, starting on June 20.

BCCI chief selector for men's senior team, Ajit Agarkar, announced an 18-member India squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. Surprisingly, Shreyas Iyer was snubbed from the selection, while Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur, and Arshdeep Singh were included in the squad. Iyer was suggested as a contender for the middle-order after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, but did not find a spot in the final squad.

Shreyas Iyer made his international comeback for the ODI series against England and the Champions Trophy this year, but despite showing glimpses of form, the middle-order ace failed to find a place in the Test squad. When asked about Iyer's exclusion from the Test squad, Agarkar bluntly stated that he does not have a place in the team now.

'Not the player who got left out'

Speaking on Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from the squad, Sourav Ganguly did not mince his words to lambast the BCCI selection committee for dropping the Punjab Kings skipper from the Test series against England, stating he is not the player to be left out.

“He has been playing at his best in the last one year, and should have been in this team. The last one year has been fantastic for him. He isn't the player who got left out.” Ganguly told Revzsports

“He is now scoring under pressure, taking responsibility, and playing the short ball well. Although Test cricket's different, I would have had him in this series to see what he can do," he added.

Shreyas Iyer as a captain :- Qualifier 2 in IPL 2019- Finals in IPL 2020- Champions in IPL 2024- Won SMAT T20- Finalists in IPL 2025- Finalists in Mumbai T20 twitter/Jtlpuw2cvl

- Lovely🧑‍⚕️❣️ (@fen06_lovely) June 11, 2025

Shreyas Iyer's last Test appearance came in the second Test against England in Vizag in February last year. Thereafter, he was not considered for national selection for not adhering to the BCCI's direction to play domestic cricket, which ultimately led to his removal from the central contract list for players. However, Shreyas Iyer regained his central contract, thanks to his performance in domestic cricket and the Champions Trophy 2025.

Shreyas Iyer had a good season in the Ranji Trophy 2024/25, amassing 480 runs, including two centuries, at an average of 68.57 in seven innings.

Shreyas Iyer to return to national duties in August

The middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer is expected to return to international duties in August for the ODI series against Bangladesh. It remains to be seen whether he will be included in the T20I squad for the series against Bangladesh, given his brilliant performance in the IPL 2025, where he amassed 604 runs, including six fifties, at an average of 50.33 in 17 matches.

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer reportedly entered the race for white-ball captaincy following his successful season as the Punjab Kings skipper, leading the team to its first IPL final in 11 years, but lost to first-time champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Ahmedabad on June 3. As per the report by The Indian Express, a source close to the BCCI stated that PBKS skipper officially entered the captaincy race for the white-ball team, adding that he cannot be kept out of the Test and ODI squads.

“Right now he just plays ODIs, but after this IPL we can't keep him out of T20 internationals and even Tests. Plus, he has also now officially joined the white-ball captaincy race," the BCCI source told TIE.

Shreyas Iyer is currently leading SOBO Mumbai Falcons, who have the final of the Mumbai T20 League after defeating Bandra Blasters in the semifinal and will take on Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals in the final at the Wankhede Stadium on June 12.

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