Shreyas-Iyer-in-Irani-Cup. (Photo source: X)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced an 18-member squad for the upcoming Test series against England. The 25-year-old has been named the new Test captain following the retirement of veteran opener Rohit Sharma. The selected squad is one of the youngest and most inexperienced Indian teams ever to tour England.
But the announcement of the squad left few notable performers high and dry despite their impressive outings in the red-ball format. The exclusions raised questions considering the tough conditions awaiting in England.
3 Big names missing from India’s Test squad for England Tour 1. Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz-Khan. (Photo source: X)
The middle-order batter certainly deserved a place in the Indian squad for the five-match Test series against England. The right-handed batter has featured in six Tests so far, scoring 371 runs at an average of 37.10 which includes one century and three half-centuries.
He was a part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 squad although he did feature in any of the five Tests. His exclusion raised eyebrows as he has an exceptional record in First-Class cricket, where he averages 65.61. India could miss his proven ability to play the long game under pressure in the middle-order.
2. Axar Patel
Axar Patel. (Photo Source: BCCI)
The left-arm spinner is another notable omission from the Indian Test squad for the England tour. The all-rounder has taken 55 wickets in Test cricket at an outstanding average of 19.34. Axar also brings valuable depth to the batting lineup and boasts an impressive Test batting average of 35.88 for an all-rounder. His ability to deliver with both bat and ball makes him a big asset in a hard series like the five-match tour of England.
3. Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas-Iyer. (Photo source: X)
is another surprising exclusion in the squad for the England tour. He is a consistent performer across formats and has made a strong mark in both red-ball and white-ball cricket in recent years. He has represented India in 14 Tests, scoring at an average of 36.86. Iyer has proven himself as a reliable middle-order option and his experience could have come in handy following the retirement of seniors.
Iyer was also a key member of Mumbai's victorious 2023-24 Ranji Trophy campaign and played a vital role in the 2024 Irani Cup as well. His excellent First-Class record highlights his capability to play long innings under pressure. He certainly deserved to be part of the Indian squad.
