"He should have been in this team" - Sourav Ganguly rues leaving out IPL 2025 star from ENG vs IND Tests

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly believes Shreyas Iyer should have been part of the squad for the upcoming Test tour of England. Team India take on England in five highly anticipated Tests, starting at Leeds on June 20.

Iyer is coming off an incredible IPL 2025 season, scoring 604 runs at an average of over 50 and a strike rate of 175.07 in 17 games. Under him, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) reached their first IPL final since the 2014 season.

The 30-year-old also displayed excellent red-ball form in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, finishing with an average of 68.57 in five matches. Yet, Iyer could not find a place in the 18-member Indian squad for the England Tests.

Talking about Iyer's continued exclusion from the Indian Test side, Ganguly told Rev Sportz:

"He has been playing at his best in the last one year, and should have been in this team. Last one year has been fantastic for him. He isn’t the player who got left out. He is now scoring under pressure, taking responsibility, playing the short ball well. Although Test cricket’s different, I would have had him in this series to see what he can do."

Despite being a regular in the Indian ODI setup, Iyer's last Test appearance came in the home series against England at the start of 2024. His absence remains even more baffling, considering Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's recent Test retirements.

"These are not conditions where you just hit through the line" - Sourav Ganguly's advice to Shubman Gill

Sourav Ganguly urged India's new Test captain, Shubman Gill, to show greater application with the bat in testing England conditions. With Rohit's retirement, India appointed the 25-year-old as their new Test captain.

Despite his brilliant numbers in white-ball cricket, Gill has struggled in the long format, averaging only 35.05 in 32 outings.

"I am sure he can work on his Test match batting. He is a top-order batsman. He is the key senior member, captain, so as I said, he’s also got to fight in these conditions. These are not conditions where you just hit through the line. It’s going to seam, swing, new ball will be different. There can be time when India is 10 for 2, and he has to come and play the new ball, so the application will be different. So, these conditions will test them and make them too," said Ganguly (via the aforementioned source).

Ganguly added:

"He needs to score a bit more runs in these conditions when it's seaming and swinging. It is going to be a bit difficult upfront with the new ball. Batting at 100 for 2 and 20 for 4 are two different things, so he has to get the defence right, learn how to leave deliveries outside the off stump. You’ve got to fight here, where first hour, post lunch, post tea would be different. So, you can’t be 50-4 in the first two hours. You’ve got to be 50-1, then you are in a position to win the Test match."

Gill has played only three Tests in England with little to show for, averaging a dismal 14.66 in six innings with no half-centuries.