Sourav Ganguly Questions Shreyas Iyer's Omission from India’s Test Squad for England Tour

Ganguly Backs In-Form Iyer Amid Selection Controversy

Former India captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has expressed his disappointment over the omission of Shreyas Iyer from India's Test squad for the upcoming England tour. Citing Iyer's consistent performances across formats, Ganguly believes the 30-year-old deserved a place in the squad.

“He has been playing at his best over the past year and should have been in this team. He’s not the same player he was when he was dropped. He’s handling pressure, scoring runs, and even tackling the short ball better now,” Ganguly said in an interview with RevSportz.

A PERSONAL HISTORY WITH AGARKAR

Ganguly’s criticism gains added weight considering his longstanding rapport with Ajit Agarkar, now the chief selector of the BCCI. As captain, Ganguly often backed Agarkar, even during their IPL stint together at Kolkata Knight Riders. Agarkar, known for his memorable performances under Ganguly’s leadership including a pivotal six-wicket haul in Adelaide in 2003 was once considered a core part of Ganguly’s plans.

Although there's no public rift between the two, Ganguly's recent remarks clearly indicate a difference of opinion regarding selection strategy.

IYER'S RESURGENCE ACROSS FORMATS

Shreyas Iyer has rebuilt his reputation in Indian cricket with strong performances in limited-overs cricket. After struggling against short-pitched bowling in red-ball matches especially during India's previous tour of England Iyer bounced back impressively.

ODI Success: Iyer was among India’s top run-scorers in both the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Domestic Dominance: He had a prolific domestic season in all formats for Mumbai.

IPL Impact: In IPL 2024, Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title. This year, he guided Punjab Kings to their first final in over a decade, scoring 604 runs at a blazing strike rate of 175—higher than any other batter in the Orange Cap top 10.

Despite these achievements, Iyer was reportedly not seriously considered for the Test squad, with the selectors believing he still needed to refine his red-ball game.

INDIA’S MIDDLE-ORDER UNDER PRESSURE

With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma unavailable, India will rely on a new-look middle order led by captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant. Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair are among the contenders to fill the remaining batting slots, though seam-bowling all-rounders like Shardul Thakur or Nitish Kumar Reddy could also come into play depending on team balance.

GANGULY REMAINS HOPEFUL ABOUT SERIES OUTCOME

Despite the selection debate, Ganguly remains optimistic about India’s chances in the five-match Test series.

“We can absolutely win. We just need two things our batters to perform and Jasprit Bumrah to stay fit. We beat Australia in Melbourne during the 2020-21 series with a young batting line-up and no Kohli or Rohit. So, it’s definitely possible,” Ganguly asserted.

SERIES BEGINS JUNE 20 AT LEEDS

The much-anticipated Test series between India and England is set to kick off on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. With several new faces in the squad, it remains to be seen how India’s revamped lineup handles the challenges of English conditions.