Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes Shreyas Iyer deserved a place in the Test squad for the England tour, citing his strong form across all formats.
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Sourav Ganguly Backs Iyer, Questions Agarkar-Led Selection Panel
Sourav Ganguly, once a staunch supporter of Ajit Agarkar during their playing days, has now subtly criticized the Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee for omitting Shreyas Iyer from India’s Test squad for the England tour. Ganguly, who admired Agarkar’s match-winning six-wicket haul in Adelaide 2003 and valued him highly even in the IPL with KKR, appeared disappointed by the selectors’ decision.
Iyer, who struggled against short-pitched bowling in Tests, bounced back with stellar white-ball performances — starring in the 2024 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. He continued his resurgence with an excellent domestic season and a standout IPL 2025, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 175. Despite his form, selectors reportedly did not debate Iyer’s name, citing technical flaws in red-ball cricket.
While the Ganguly-Agarkar bond remains intact publicly, Sourav Ganguly comments hint at disagreement over Iyer’s exclusion from the red-ball setup.
‘Shreyas Iyer should’ve been in India Test squad’: Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly has strongly criticized the BCCI selectors, particularly Ajit Agarkar, for excluding Shreyas Iyer from India’s Test squad for the upcoming series in England. Speaking to RevSportz, Ganguly said, “He has been playing at his best in all formats over the last year. He’s not someone you leave out. He’s scoring under pressure, handling the short ball well, and taking responsibility.”
Ganguly, who worked closely with Iyer during his tenure as Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals, said Iyer deserved a spot purely based on form. Iyer is currently captaining the Mumbai Falcons, who have made it to the finals of the Mumbai League 2025.