India Test Squad 2025 : No Spot for Shreyas Iyer in Test Squad, Says Agarkar Despite His Form

India Test Squad 2025 : Shubman Gill to Lead India in England Tests, Karun Nair Returns After 8 Years, Shami Left Out

In a landmark announcement on Saturday, May 24, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the Indian squad for the highly anticipated five-match Test series against England, beginning June 20. In a historic move, 24-year-old Shubman Gill has been named captain of the Indian Test team, becoming the 37th player to lead India in the longest format. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, making a triumphant return to full fitness, has been appointed vice-captain.

Captaincy Responsibility for Gill

Shubman Gill’s appointment signals a generational shift in Indian cricket. Often seen as the torchbearer of India’s next batting era, Gill now has the responsibility of leading the side in one of the toughest assignments in world cricket — a five-Test tour in England. Having already proven his mettle in Australian and home conditions, the tour will be Gill’s biggest leadership challenge yet.

With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli unavailable for the tour, the selectors have thrown their weight behind youth and form. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar emphasized that this was the right time for Gill to take on more responsibility.

Pant Returns as Vice-Captain

Another heartwarming development in the squad is the return of Rishabh Pant as vice-captain. After a long road to recovery following his horrific car accident in December 2022, Pant’s comeback to red-ball cricket is complete. He returned to action in the IPL 2025 season and showed enough signs of form and fitness to merit a leadership role in the longest format.

Karun Nair Makes a Stunning Return

Among the most talked-about inclusions is that of Karun Nair. The right-handed batter, who scored a triple century in just his third Test in 2016 but was soon dropped, has made a dramatic return to the national fold after nearly eight years in the wilderness. Nair last wore India whites in 2017. His perseverance and consistency in domestic cricket have finally been rewarded.

Young Guns Sudarshan and Arshdeep Get Maiden Call-Ups

The selectors have also rewarded domestic performers with maiden Test call-ups. Left-handed top-order batter Sai Sudarshan, known for his solid technique and recent red-ball form, has been drafted into the squad. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who has been a regular in the white-ball set-up and has impressed in first-class cricket, also earns his first Test call-up.

Their inclusion is seen as part of a broader strategy to build a fresh core for India’s Test future, especially in overseas conditions.

Shami Left Out Due to Fitness

One of the biggest surprises was the omission of senior pacer Mohammed Shami. Agarkar confirmed that Shami has not recovered fully from his ankle injury and is not fit to play a demanding five-match series. The 33-year-old has been India’s pace spearhead in the last few years, and his absence will be a significant blow, particularly in seam-friendly English conditions.

Shreyas Iyer’s Exclusion Raises Eyebrows

Another talking point is the omission of middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer. Despite his performances in ODIs and domestic cricket, Iyer has not found a place in the Test squad. When asked about the decision, Agarkar said, “Shreyas played well in the ODI series and in domestic cricket, but at this moment, there is no spot for him in the Test side.”

Iyer, who has played 14 Tests so far and was part of the recent home series against England earlier this year, was dropped midway through the series due to poor form. Despite expectations of a recall, the selectors have opted to look elsewhere.

India’s Full Squad for England Tests

Batters: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Lokesh Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Karun Nair
Wicketkeepers: Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Dhruv Jurel
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar
Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav
Pacers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna

With a young, dynamic captain in Shubman Gill, and exciting fresh talent alongside experienced campaigners like Bumrah and Jadeja, India’s tour of England promises to be an enthralling chapter in the post-Kohli era of Indian Test cricket. The first Test begins at Lord’s on June 20, and all eyes will be on how the next generation of Indian cricketers responds to the challenge.

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