Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir gave a sharp response when asked about Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Test squad for the upcoming England tour. During a media interaction, a journalist questioned Gambhir about Iyer not being selected for the red-ball series. Gambhir replied briefly, “I am not the selector."
The comment came amid growing public scrutiny after the Test squad announcement. Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar addressed questions at the press conference, where Gambhir was not present. Agarkar clarified that there is currently no room for Iyer in the Test side. Despite Gambhir’s repeated statements that he has no role in squad selection, fans on social media have often linked player exclusions to him.
Read Also | IPL 2025 Qualifier 1, PBKS vs RCB: What Happens if Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match Gets Washed Out Due to Rain? EXPLAINED
Iyer, who was dropped midway through the previous England Test series due to poor form, has since shown strong performances in domestic cricket. He scored two centuries in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai and has been in top form in IPL 2025. Leading Punjab Kings, Iyer has taken the franchise to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Punjab finished at the top of the points table and will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Iyer was bought for Rs 23.75 crore in the IPL auction, making him the second-most expensive player in tournament history. He has scored 514 runs in 14 matches at an average of 51.40 and a strike rate of 171.91, the best among all captains this season.
