BCCI selector Ajit Agarkar reveals why Shreyas Iyer wasn't picked in India's test squad for England tour

Ankitjit Singh is a Sub-Editor at Khel Now, known for his in-depth knowledge of cricket.

Published at :May 24, 2025 at 5:53 PM

Modified at :May 24, 2025 at 5:53 PM

(Courtesy : BCCI)

Shreyas Iyer’s last test came during the home series against England in 2024.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar unveiled the Indian Cricket Team for the upcoming five-match test series against the England Cricket Team on Saturday (24th May). The series between the two sides is all set to be played between 20th June to 4th August across five different venues.

Following the retirement of two stalwarts of Indian cricket in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the BCCI has announced a pretty inexperienced squad, which will be captained by young Shubman Gill. While some of the the renowned names were included in the team, few big players failed to make a cut in the side.

One among them is Shreyas Iyer. The Mumbai batter, who slammed a century on his test debut, was expected to find a place because of recent domestic performances. However, despite that, he wasn’t in contention for the England series.

Ajit Agarkar reveals why Shreyas Iyer wasn’t picked in Indian team for England series

When asked about why Shreyas Iyer wasn’t picked in the squad for the five-match test series, Ajit Agarkar gave a blunt reply. He admitted that although the batter is doing great in white-ball cricket and the domestic circuit, there wasn’t any place for him.

“Shreyas had a good one-day series and played well in domestic as well, but right now, there’s no room in Test cricket,” said Agarkar.

Shreyas Iyer’s last test came during the home series against England in 2024. He played two games and, after that, was dropped from the side. When he came into the scene, he replaced Ajinkya Rahane in the side and played a decent role in the format, helping the team win some crucial games. Notably, he has slammed 811 runs in 14 tests at an average of 35.3

With no Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, it was expected that the BCCI would go with the experience of Shreyas Iyer, who played a great role for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy 2024-25. But, instead, they went with Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan, who were exceptional with the bat in the domestic circuit.

Shreyas Iyer is enjoying a great peak in the cricket currently. He was the leading run-getter for the Indian Cricket Team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and also has been having a great time in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The right-hander is leading Punjab Kings in the league and has taken them to the playoffs for the first time after 2014.

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Ankitjit Singh

Ankitjit Singh is a dedicated sports journalist whose childhood dream was to play cricket—now, he serves the game through his work. With over three years of experience in reporting, writing, and editing, he brings deep insight to his coverage. A journalism graduate from Delhi University, Ankitjit’s passion for cricket took root during his college days and continues to drive his career.