Former opener Aakash Chopra is of the opinion that Shreyas Iyer’s return to the Indian Test squad is unlikely in the near future. Iyer has not played a Test since the series against England at home and has been ignored for the first Test against Bangladesh as well. He had lost his central contract earlier this year too, as per reports, which had opted out from domestic cricket owing to injury concerns. While Iyer was recalled to the ODI side by new India coach Gautam Gambhir last month, his performance didn’t work in favor as the team went on to lose the series to Sri Lanka.
Chopra pointed out that in the past six months the dynamics of the Indian side have been completely changed. Therefore, he says it was impossible for Iyer to get the Test spot. “It is interesting that the last time we had beaten Bangladesh in Bangladesh, Shreyas Iyer had given a match-winning kind of performance in that last match. We had won because of his important knock, but since then, the world has changed. I don’t see any chances for Shreyas Iyer in Tests at the moment,” Chopra commented on his YouTube channel.
Chopra also added that the presence of Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and KL Rahul in the team makes Iyer face a challenge. He said, “Whoever is there will also not be able to play all the matches. The guys who are part of this team, which includes Sarfaraz, KL Rahul, and Dhruv Jurel, I feel they only won’t be able to come in the XI. So where will Shreyas Iyer come in this?”
Iyer now skipper India D, which tops the ongoing Duleep Trophy after losing to India C in the first round. A Times of India report said it was Iyer’s inconsistency in red-ball cricket and his poor season in 2024 that had cost him a place in the Test team.
