'If you are in form...': Gautam Gambhir makes fresh claim on Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from India Test squad for England tour

India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, recently stated that anyone who consistently shines in domestic cricket has a shot at making it to the national Test team. This comment came in response to questions about Shreyas Iyer's absence from the squad for the upcoming five-match series against England, which kicks off on June 20 in Headingley.

This statement follows Gambhir's earlier remark in Delhi where he said, "I’m not the selector," when asked about Shreyas' exclusion shortly after the team was announced. At that time, he skillfully sidestepped the question, emphasizing that the selection process is beyond his control.

However, on Thursday evening, Gambhir took a more thoughtful approach, acknowledging that while only a limited number of players can be chosen for the squad, the management is indeed keeping a close eye on performances in domestic cricket.

Shreyas has been the talk of the town lately, especially after leading the Punjab Kings to the finals of the IPL 2025 season. Although they fell short against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final, his contributions were undeniable, racking up over 600 runs with an impressive average of more than 50.

At 30 years old, Shreyas has been out of the Test team since the 2024 series against England. He has consistently delivered strong performances for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, yet he’s still waiting for that call-up to the Test squad.

“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 hung up their boots in Test cricket, and now Shubman Gill is set to take the reins in England, with Rishabh Pant stepping in as his right-hand man. Many fans were hoping to see Shreyas Iyer included in the Test squad, especially after his impressive performance of 480 runs at an average of 68.57 over seven innings in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season.

But Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, along with the rest of the committee, decided to overlook Iyer and instead brought in players like Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, and Abhimanyu Easwaran.

Iyer's last appearance in Test cricket was against England in Vishakapatnam back in 2024. Throughout his career, he has played 14 Tests, amassing 811 runs at an average of 36.86, including one century and five fifties.

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