Shreyas Iyer was left out of India’s squad for the upcoming Test series against England, starting June 20. This left fans and pundits wondering what more does Iyer need to do to make his comeback in Test cricket.
As the the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors decided to not include Iyer in the 18-man squad despite his good run, his snub generated plenty of discussion.
However, former England spinner Monty Panesar has thrown his support behind the selectors’ decision, raising concerns regarding Shreyas Iyer’s game in seamer-friendly conditions.
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Also read: India Tour of England: Check out players who missed out on squad selection
Monty Panesar Points to Flaws in Shreyas Iyer’s TechniqueÂ
Talking about Iyer’s non-selection, Panesar said the BCCI made the right call. Panesar explained that Iyer’s strong numbers do not tell the full story and raised question marks over his technique in conditions where the ball swings and seams.
"Well, I believe they haven't missed a trick. I think that he is a very good player, but with the seaming and swinging conditions, I believe he is vulnerable; I don't think he has the technique for that. And I think that's one of the reasons why they felt that, technically, he would be found out. His numbers are up there, but what conditions? Flat, spinning conditions," Panesar said as quoted to InsideSport.
Going deeper into the technical side, Panesar was critical of Iyer’s approach against the moving ball.
"I think he is a superstar, but when it comes to seaming, swinging conditions, I don't think he has the technique. He doesn't have soft hands and doesn't play the ball late. He has quick hands, his feet don't move much. Brilliant hand-eye coordination. That sort of technique is suited for faster and bouncier pitches. I think in swinging conditions, you are going to be found out," he added.
Iyer last played a Test match against England in February 2024. He was dropped from the Indian team for his poor performance. In 14 Tests so far in his career, the 30-year-old has accumulated 811 runs at an average of 36.86.
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Why Shreyas Iyer Was Not Selected for England Test Series? Ajit Agarkar Explains
As Agarkar stated, there is no space for Iyer at the moment in the Test team. After Virat Kohli's retirement, it was believed that Iyer could return to the Test set-up. But the Indian selectors decided to back Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair over 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," Agarkar said.
India’s Squad for England Tests: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk/vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
