Gautam Gambhir sums up Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from Test squad in five words
India head coach Gautam Gambhir didn’t say anything when he was asked about Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Test team for the tour of England. The right-handed batter was snubbed for five Tests despite his impressive form across formats. Gambhir refused to make any comment. Speaking to the media, Gambhir said, “I am not a selector.”
Iyer, who is leading Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League 2025, has scored 514 runs across 14 matches, making him the leading run-getter for his franchise in IPL 2025. Despite his impressive run for Punjab, he was not picked in India’s 18-man squad for the upcoming assignment against the Ben Stokes-led team. Former players and fans didn’t like the move of the Indian selectors.
The series opener will be played in Leeds from June 20 to June 24. The second Test will be competed in Birmingham (July 2-6), while the Lord’s will host the third contest from July 10 to July 14. The Old Trafford in Manchester is the venue for the fourth red-ball game from July 23 to July 27, while the fifth and final game is at the Oval in London (July 31-August 4).
The selectors have recalled Karun Nair after an absence of eight years. He last played a Test against England in 2017. His record-breaking scores in domestic tournaments forced the selectors to consider him for the important tour. Sai Sudharsan has earned his maiden call-up in the Test team.
Shubman Gill is the new Test captain of India, with the 25-year-old replacing Rohit Sharma, who retired from Test cricket. Gill is the 37th Test captain of India. Having accumulated 1,893 runs in 32 Tests, Gill knows what is needed to be successful in a five-day format.
While Gambhir refused to comment on Iyer’s omission, he lauded the BCCI for inviting the chiefs of India’s armed forces for the final of the IPL 2025 on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“BCCI has taken a good step. We generally slam the Indian Cricket Board for a lot of things, but this is something that should be appreciated. BCCI has taken the initiative because the entire nation is one, and we should salute our armed forces for what they do for us.
“With the BCCI taking such an initiative, we should laud the board and more importantly our armed forces who have been saving and protecting us,” he added.
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