Shreyas Iyer found himself excluded from the Indian team for the remaining three matches against England due to his prolonged poor form. As speculations circulated about the potential return of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, two Indian batters were vying to secure their spots in the playing XI for the second Test. While Shubman Gill successfully silenced critics with his first Test century in almost a year, batting at No. 3 for India, Shreyas Iyer’s struggles continued, leading to his omission from the team for the subsequent matches against England.
Shreyas Iyer
Despite uncertainties surrounding Iyer’s absence, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra expressed the view that Gill could have faced a similar fate if not for his more effective approach in the format. The selection committee, in the squad announcement for the last three Tests, did not include Iyer’s name. Reports clarified that Iyer was dropped due to his poor batting performance, managing only 104 runs at 26 in the two matches against England.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra mentioned that both Iyer and Gill were “in the same boat,” but Iyer faced exclusion due to his unconventional batting style, criticized even by England’s Kevin Pietersen. In contrast, Gill’s commendable knock of 104 runs in the second innings in Vizag played a crucial role in India’s victory, leveling the series at 1-1.
Aakash highlighted that Iyer’s lack of fifty-plus scores in his last 13 innings, with an average below 20, and no second century since his debut in November 2021, contributed to the decision to drop him from the team.
