India’s squad for the first Test against Bangladesh is out, with a number of top stars like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant making their return. Rookie pacer Yash Dayal also earned his maiden call-up to India’s Test team. But, there was no return for Mohammed Shami, though the veteran pacer was expected to be fit for the first Test against Bangladesh. Shreyas Iyer, despite his impressive performance in the first Duleep Trophy match, wasn’t picked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee either.
Since the squad announcement has been released, many have been wondering why Shami and Iyer couldn’t make the cut. Though the pacer could still be lacking the desired fitness level, Iyer is fully fit and showed some promise in the Duleep Trophy match too.
As per a Times of India report, Iyer’s inconsistent performances in red-ball cricket, as well as a poor 2024 season, played a role in making the selectors overlook him over a Test recall.
Fitness concerns have also troubled Iyer recently. His removal from BCCI’s central contracts, following his unavailability for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, also reportedly left the board’s bosses and the selection committee unhappy. Though he could be returning to form, it seems like selectors want more from the middle-order batter before he is considered for the Test team again.
With the likes of Sarfaraz Khan and KL Rahul also competing for the middle-order spots, Iyer seems to be low in the pecking order at the moment.
Mohammed Shami’s case, however, is a different one. The BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar had earlier said that the veteran pacer could make his return for the Bangladesh series. However, Shami doesn’t seem to have ticked all the boxes for selection. In fact, he is unlikely to be picked for the second Test against Bangladesh too.
The pacer is likely to be picked in the Bengal team for the Ranji Trophy campaign, starting on October 11. If he manages to prove his fitness in the domestic tournament, Team India’s return could only be a formality.
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