Overview

• Ajit Agarkar said there is no vacancy for Iyer in the England Test squad despite his prolific 2024/25 Ranji Trophy (480 runs at a 68.57 average) and IPL (604 runs) seasons.
• Pundit Aakash Chopra ruled out Iyer’s England tour selection and placed him behind Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, and Dhruv Jurel in the middle-order pecking order.
• India’s Test middle order already includes Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant, intensifying competition for the few available slots.
• A mid-2024 Test drop and a missed Ranji assignment that cost him his central contract have hindered Iyer’s red-ball prospects.
• With selectors favouring specialist red-ball credentials, Iyer is expected to wait for his Test opportunity despite his white-ball successes.