The Indian men’s cricket team is set to head to England next month for a much-anticipated five-match Test series. The first match will be held at Headingley in Leeds from June 20 to 24, followed by games in Birmingham (July 2–6), Lord’s (July 10–14), Manchester (July 23–27), and The Oval (July 31–August 4).
As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the 18-member squad for the tour on May 24, one notable omission caught everyone’s attention — Shreyas Iyer. The Mumbai-born right-hander has been in remarkable form during the 2025 Indian Premier League, helping Punjab Kings finish at the top of the table. Iyer has scored 514 runs across 14 matches, making him PBKS’ leading run-getter this season. His form, however, was not enough to secure a spot in the Test squad.
The decision to leave Iyer out of the side surprised fans and cricketing legends alike. When India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir was asked to explain Iyer’s exclusion, his brief response drew even more attention. “I am not a selector,” Gambhir replied, a five-word statement that quickly went viral online.
Iyer made his Test debut against New Zealand in Kanpur on November 25, 2021, and made an instant impact with a century in the first innings. His most recent appearance in the longest format came against England in Visakhapatnam last year. In his 14 Test matches to date, Iyer has scored 811 runs, including one century and five fifties.
As the Indian team gears up for the English summer, discussions around Iyer’s absence continue to dominate the cricketing discourse.
