Three years ago, Shreyas Iyer made an impressive Test debut with a century against New Zealand in Kanpur. However, since then, the format has not been favorable to him. His vulnerability to short-pitched deliveries became apparent early in his international career, hindering his progress as a reliable overseas Test player. To make matters worse, his performance even at home suffered, with just 146 runs in eight innings over the last two years in India.
Iyer was dropped from the Indian Test team earlier this year, midway through a series against England, and was also excluded from the BCCI’s central contract list. The 2024 Duleep Trophy offered him a chance at redemption, especially with the Bangladesh Test series approaching. Despite being named captain of the D team, Iyer managed only 104 runs in four innings, including a duck and one half-century.
Speaking to The Telegraph, a BCCI official issued a blunt assessment following Iyer’s disappointing Duleep Trophy performance, casting doubt on his future in the Indian Test team. “There’s no room for Shreyas in the Test team right now. Who will he replace? His shot selection has been concerning, particularly in the Duleep Trophy. He was well set but played an unnecessary shot off left-arm spinner Shams Mulani. When you’re batting on a flat track, you need to make the most of the opportunity,” the official remarked.
‘Iyer won’t go to Australia’
Iyer still has a chance to improve his form in the third and final round of the Duleep Trophy later this week, followed by the Irani Cup, where he is expected to play for the Mumbai squad. This will coincide with his national duties for the T20 series against Bangladesh, and he will also have the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy season to prove himself. However, another BCCI official suggested that even if Iyer regains his form, he is unlikely to be selected for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad.
“Shreyas could be part of the Mumbai squad for the Irani Cup starting October 1 in Lucknow. Even if he’s picked for the Bangladesh T20Is, he might still play the Irani and join the T20 side from the second match onwards. If he doesn’t perform in the Irani Cup, he will still have the Ranji Trophy to score runs,” the official added.
The official acknowledged Iyer’s previous good form in last year’s ODI World Cup and the injury he suffered, which should be taken into account. “There’s still one round left in the Duleep Trophy, and he could score a hundred. While it’s unlikely he’ll go to Australia because of his weakness against the short ball, his runs at home cannot be overlooked,” the official concluded.
