Gautam Gambhir does U-turn on Shreyas Iyer's Test exclusion days after 'I'm not selector' remark: 'Anyone can be called'
India head coach Gautam Gambhir said anyone can earn a call-up into the national Test team considering they continue to perform in domestic cricket. The former India opening batter had this response when he was asked about Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from the Test team for the upcoming five-match series against England, beginning June 20 in Headingley.
This remark comes days after Gambhir's 'I'm not the selector' remark in Delhi. The India head coach was asked about Shreyas' exclusion days after the squad announcement, and back then, he had deflected the query, saying he was not the selector.
However, on Thursday evening, Gambhir had a rather measured response, saying a limited number of people can be picked in the squad, but the management is taking note of performances in domestic cricket.
Shreyas is the toast of the town after he led the Punjab Kings to the final of the IPL 2025 season. The side might have lost the summit clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) but one cannot deny the right-hander's impact, considering he scored more than 600 runs at an average of more than 50.
The 30-year-old has been out of the Test team since the 2024 series against England. He has performed consistently for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, but the call-up into the Test squad is still awaited.
'Anyone can be called if they are in good form. We can only pick 18. But I believe it's always about being open to people who are in good form and can deliver,' Gambhir told reporters in Mumbai ahead of the Indian team's departure for England.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired from Tests, and Shubman Gill will be leading in England, with Rishabh Pant acting as his deputy. Several fans believed Shreyas Iyer would be named in the Test team, considering he scored 480 runs at an average of 68.57 in seven innings in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season.
Also Read: Agarkar drops verdict on snubbed Shreyas Iyer's Test future
However, Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors and the rest of the committee ignored Shreyas in the squad and decided to name the likes of Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan and Abhimanyu Easwaran.
Speaking to reporters, Ajit Agarkar said, "Yes, Shreyas Iyer has played well in domestic cricket, but at the moment, there is no room for him in the Test Team.'
Iyer's last Test came against England in Vishakapatnam in 2024. The right-hander has played 14 Tests, scoring 811 runs at an average of 36.86. He also has a century and five fifties to his name.
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