Fans are wondering why Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami were not included in Team India’s Test squad for the first match against Bangladesh. Rishabh Pant has made his long-awaited return to the Test team after nearly 20 months.
Virat Kohli also marked his comeback, having missed the home five-Test series against England earlier this year due to a break he took for the birth of his second child.
Jasprit Bumrah also made a return to the Indian team for the first time since the T20 World Cup. While there were no major surprises a couple of notable omissions stood out.
Both Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami, who have been away from red-ball action recently, continue to be absent from the squad. Shami has been recovering from an injury. However, Iyer’s exclusion from the Test squad has surprised many people.
The 29-year-old batter who has been on a steady rise in Indian cricket over the past few years, faced a significant setback earlier this year when he sustained an injury during the Test series against England. He was later removed from the BCCI’s central contracts due to his unavailability for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
Despite a commendable comeback, during which he led Mumbai to a title and guided Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL glory, Iyer’s red-ball credentials have taken a hit. His recent performances in longer formats have been lackluster, particularly in the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament, where he failed to make a significant impact.
Adding to Iyer’s challenges is the fierce competition for middle-order spots in the Indian Test team. With the emergence of Sarfaraz Khan, who made a strong impression with his aggressive batting during his debut series against England earlier this year, and the consistent performances of KL Rahul, a mainstay in the Test side, Iyer finds himself lower in the pecking order.
As for Shami, he is on a comeback trail. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar had hinted a few weeks ago that Shami was being considered for a potential return in the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh. However, Shami’s comeback is still in progress, and he was ultimately not included in the Test squad.
