No place for Shreyas Iyer in India's Test squad, confirms BCCI official

Star Indian batter Shreyas Iyer's journey in Test cricket has taken a significant turn, with recent poor performances putting doubt on his future in the Indian Test squad. After his spectacular debut against New Zealand in Kanpur three years ago, his future in one format of the game is doubtful.

Iyer's struggles in the longer format have been evident, particularly when facing short-pitched deliveries overseas. His difficulties have extended to home conditions as well, with just 146 runs in eight innings over the past two years in India.

The 2024 Duleep Trophy was an opportunity for him to find a place in the Test squad, but the 29-year-old's performance as captain of India D fell short of expectations, managing only 104 runs in four innings. A BCCI official delivered a harsh assessment of Iyer's Test prospects. 

“At the moment, there’s no room for Shreyas to be in the Test team. Who will he replace? Besides, his shot selection has been a concern in Duleep, especially yesterday (Sunday). He was well set and then suddenly played such a shot (off left-arm spinner Shams Mulani). When you are set and then batting on a flat deck, you need to make the best use of that opportunity,” a BCCI official told The Telegraph.

Also Read: ‘The ball turned and the batters were getting beaten’ - Shreyas Iyer after defeat to India A in Duleep Trophy 2024

If he doesn’t fire in Irani too, he still has the Ranji Trophy to get runs: BCCI official

The road ahead for Iyer appears challenging, with limited opportunities to prove his worth. While he still has a chance to redeem himself in the final round of the Duleep Trophy and the upcoming Irani Cup, another BCCI official expressed doubts about Iyer's inclusion in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad.

“Shreyas could be there (in the Mumbai squad) for the Irani Cup (beginning on October 1 in Lucknow). Even if he’s picked for the Bangladesh T20Is (from October 6), he still might play Irani and then be available from the second T20I onwards," he said.

The official also noted Iyer's recent strong performance in the ODI World Cup and his injury setback, suggesting these factors should be considered.

“Now, if he doesn’t fire in Irani too, he still has the Ranji Trophy to get runs. It wasn’t too many days ago when he was batting so well in last year’s ODI World Cup. He suffered an injury too, which needs to be considered. Also, with still one round left in Duleep, you never know he might score a hundred. He needs to regain form. Most likely he won’t go to Australia for his problems against the short ball, but one can’t just ignore his runs at home," another BCCI official added.