Shreyas Iyer not in Test contention yet, says former India cricketer: 'His time will come'
Shreyas Iyer (AP Photo)
Former India opener
Aakash Chopra
has poured cold water on hopes of seeing
Shreyas Iyer
in India's Test squad anytime soon, despite the 30-year-old's standout performances in recent months across formats.
While Iyer was India's top scorer in their victorious ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign and had a stellar run in both the IPL and domestic red-ball season, Chopra believes there is a long queue ahead of him when it comes to Test selection.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
"Shreyas Iyer won't get a chance now. Many others haven't gotten a chance either," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. "If you think about it, Karun Nair has only just gotten his chance.
Sarfaraz Khan
hasn't been given a shot. Dhruv Jurel is waiting on the sidelines. If he cannot even get among those who are in the waiting line, then how can he be considered for selection?"
Jasprit Bumrah Breathes Fire in the Nets | IND vs ENG 2nd Test Prep
Iyer has indeed had a superb run.
He scored 480 runs in just seven innings in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy at an average of 68.57 and a strike rate above 90. He then followed it up with a career-best IPL season, scoring 604 runs in 17 matches and leading Punjab Kings to their first final in nine years.
Poll
Do you think Shreyas Iyer deserves a spot in India's Test squad?
Yes, based on his recent performances
No, there are other deserving players
Maybe, it depends on future performances
Still, Chopra emphasised that red-ball opportunities will only come with patience. "I know he had a good first-class season. He had a good IPL, took Punjab Kings to the final, did well in white-ball cricket — but his time will come in Tests.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
AC Installation & Repair from Certified Pros
Search7
Learn More
Undo
He will have to wait just a little bit."
Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan, another contender, continues to impress. After three fifties and a 150 in six Tests, he struck 92 for India A against England Lions and followed it up with a century in the intra-squad match ahead of the England series.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
Smriti Mandhana begins England tour with a bang with a historic century at Trent Bridge: 'Absolutely breath-taking'
Smriti Mandhana, filling in for Harmanpreet Kaur as captain, propelled India to a mammoth 210/5 in the first T20I against England in Nottingham with a 62-ball 112 that contained 15 fours and three sixes. read more Stand-in India captain Smriti Mandhana celebrates after completing her century in the first T20I against England in Nottingham. AP Stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana began the tour of England with a bang, smashing a 62-ball 112 in the opening game of the five-match T20I series in Nottingham on Saturday, collecting 15 fours and three sixes along the way. Mandhana not only propelled Team India to a mammoth total of 210/5 after they were invited to bat by the Nat Sciver-Brunt-led hosts, she also became the first Indian and the fifth overall to score a century in all three international formats in the women's game. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The southpaw had the Indian team staring at an even bigger total – possibly the highest in a women's T20I involving full members – after stitching two mammoth partnerships with opening partner Shafali Verma (20) and Harleen Deol (43) worth 77 and 94 respectively. India, however, lost wickets in a heap in the death overs after seamer Lauren Bell dismissed Deol in the final delivery of the 16th over. Bell later removed Richa Ghosh (12) and Jemimah Rodrigues (0) in a space of three deliveries to sign off with figures of 3/27 while Mandhana fell to senior spinner Sophie Ecclestone's bowling in the final over. Mandhana had earlier brought up her century in style, collecting back-to-back fours in Bell's third over after collecting a brace to reach the milestone in 51 deliveries – the joint-fourth-fastest in women's T20Is taking full member teams into account. Watch: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 ✨ Smriti Mandhana becomes just the 2nd Indian to score a century in WT20Is 🙌 🔝#SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #WomenInBlue — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 28, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It was also her 14th century for India across formats, 11 of which have come in ODIs with a couple of them in Test cricket. How social media celebrated Mandhana's incredible feat Maiden T20I Hundred for Smriti Mandhana! 💯 👌 What a knock from the captain & what a way to bring it up in style 👏 Updates ▶️ | #ENGvIND | @mandhana_smriti — BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 28, 2025 Who doesn't love watching Smriti Mandhana Bat 😮💨🔥 #ENGvsIND — Amanda Wellington (@amandajadew) June 28, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Credit where credit's due 👏 A magical knock from Smriti Mandhana to bring up her maiden T20I 💯 Not much our ladies can do to stop her brilliance today — sometimes you just have to applaud the batting. #ENGvIND — England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) June 28, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A maiden T20I ton for ODI World No. 1 Smriti Mandhana, 11 years into her international career and as many years dedicated to religiously honing her gift. Comes on a day she's standing in as captain in a tour-opener in England. Laced with shot-of-the-day exhibits aplenty. #ENGvIND — Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) June 28, 2025 Absolutely breath-taking innings by @mandhana_smriti in a T 20 international against England. Haven't seen a better innings by an Indian batter, male or female, in a long time. Magical batting especially through the off side. Take a bow ⭐️⭐️⭐️#Smriti — Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 28, 2025 Only the 2nd hundred by an Indian woman in T20Is 🔥🔥 Harmanpreet Kaur v NZ, 2018 (WC) Smriti Mandhana v ENG, TODAY#ENGvIND — Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) June 28, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
India's faced with the Edgbaston barrier and other questions
London: Edgbaston in Birmingham, the car-manufacturing hub in England's west Midlands, is where India will play the second match of the five Test series. In their eight appearances at this venue since 1967, India have lost seven times – amounting to a veritable crematorium of Indian cricket. The only occasion when they held a whip hand – in 1986 – the temperamental English weather denied them victory. India speahead Jasprit Bumrah could be rested for the second Test between India and England starting at Edgbaston on July 2 (AP) Whether by design or not, the first Test at Headingley and the upcoming one were potential hurdles for India's comparatively unseasoned top-order batters. In the event, the feared cold and cloudy weather of Leeds was overtaken by glorious sunshine and a relatively placid pitch. This presented India a golden opportunity to extend their triumphs here of 1986 and 2002, which they squandered. Yashasvi Jaiswal replicated his feats in the West Indies and Australia by recording a century in his first Test in England as well, though his catching resurfaced as a matter of concern. Shubman Gill, unhindered by the task of captaining India for the first time at the highest level of the game, dismissed his previous average of 14.66 in England with an untroubled hundred. Rishabh Pant, notwithstanding his high risk shot-making, blazed to centuries in both innings with the speed of his eyes and willow. Yet, India disappointed in the bowling department, where they were expected to excel – spearheaded as they are by presently the planet's most unplayable paceman, Jasprit Bumrah. They ran out of steam in the decisive fourth innings as England for the second consecutive Test against India at home comfortably chased down 370 plus. The Indian attack was almost the same at Edgbaston in 2022 – when England breezed to 378/3 to win - bar Prasidh Krishna replacing Mohammed Shami. In the once industrial suburb of Headingley – it would metamorphose into a batting paradise on a sunny day – Australia in 1948, inspired by an unbeaten 173 from Don Bradman, accumulated 404/3 in the final venture to post a win. The record remained unsurpassed until 28 years later when India subdued it by compiling 406/4 at Port of Spain. The reversal earlier this week meant back-to-back defeats at a venue where in 1952 India endured the ignominy of being zero for four in the face of Freddie Trueman, a fiery barrel–chested coalminer-cum-fast bowler on his debut. Only Vijay Manjrekar and Vijay Hazare, with 133 and 89, could cope with him. Fifty years on, that bitter memory was wiped clean when India amassed 628/8 in initially challenging batting conditions at the same stadium, before spin twins Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh delivered the coup de grace. Left-arm Ravindra Jadeja, the front-line spinner in the Indian XI in the just-concluded match, failed to accurately target a rough outside the left-hander's off-stump on the fifth day, thereby licensing Ben Duckett to plunder runs. Besides, a paltry four overs of bowling in IPL outings as a build-up to the Test was not appropriate preparation. The Indian bowlers' lack of penetration in the second innings, Bumrah not excluded, called into question their Test match fitness. In County championship fixtures at Edgbaston this season, either the quicker bowlers have dominated or games have been high scoring; until earlier this week, when spinners came into their own. The present forecast, not to be taken as gospel, predicts dry weather for the duration of the Test, but cool temperatures. A stage for seamers to flourish, though a quality spinner too can thrive, as Ravichandran Ashwin demonstrated in 2018 by emerging the most successful bowler on either side. Where India, bookmakers' underdogs in the series, had ample chance of upsetting the applecart in the opening encounter, they now have headaches aplenty before the next clash starting on July 2. Does Bumrah need to rest? If, though, endurance is an issue, only more bowling will restore stamina. Neither Mohammed Siraj nor Prasidh is able to swing the ball away from middle or off-stump. In England, they cannot overly bank on reverse swing either. Prasidh in particular would do well to adhere to a good length as English wickets are rarely hard enough for regular bouncers. In contrast, Arshdeep Singh is an orthodox mover of the ball in the air, albeit at lesser pace. It's an unenviable conundrum. A threat of reshuffles unsettles a squad, as it did in Australia last winter. After his promising performance Down Under, allrounder Nitish Reddy looked no worse than Shardul Thakur as a bowler in the Indian A outings that preceded the Tests, and distinctly better with the bat. Historically, England, more accustomed to finger spin, have struggled against wrist spin. Kuldeep's second coming, with a superior variety of flight and faster deliveries, not to mention a more controlled googly, renders him a weapon worth unleashing. The Indian batting is, admittedly, in transition. However, rather disturbingly, India have lost seven of their last nine Tests. So, if Gautam Gambhir doesn't speedily gain control, his continuance as head coach would, arguably, begin to look partisan.
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
Khaleel Ahmed joins Essex until end of 2025 season
Khaleel Ahmed (Pic credit: Essex Cricket) Indian left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed has signed with Essex County Cricket Club and will be available across formats until the conclusion of the 2025 season. The 27-year-old will represent the club in both the County Championship and the One Day Cup. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! A graduate of India's Under-19 World Cup squad in 2016, Ahmed has played 29 international matches for India, including 11 ODIs and 18 T20Is. Since debuting in ODIs against Hong Kong in 2018, he has taken 15 wickets at an average of 31.00, with best figures of 3 for 13. On the domestic front, Ahmed has been a key performer for Rajasthan. He has picked up 92 wickets in 63 List A matches at an average of 27.92. In red-ball cricket, he has 56 wickets in 20 first-class games, including a five-wicket haul. Earlier this month, Ahmed was part of the India A squad that played against the England Lions in Northampton. He impressed with figures of 4 for 52 in the first innings, dismissing senior England players including Chris Woakes and James Rew. Prasidh Krishna Press Conference: On Learning, Experience & the Road Ahead Reacting to his new stint, Ahmed said, 'I am thrilled to sign for Essex. I've heard a lot about the club's rich history and can't wait to play at Chelmsford. I look forward to meeting the Essex fans and contributing to the team's success.' Essex Director of Cricket Chris Silverwood praised the signing, stating, 'Khaleel impressed for India A. His left-arm angle adds variety and will enhance our already strong seam attack.' Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
