'If You Start Playing Like That A Question Comes...': Aakash Chopra on Shreyas Iyer's Exclusion From IND Test Squad

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra gave his take on Shreyas Iyer’s omission from India’s squad for the last three Tests against England. While some reports suggested that Iyer had discomfort in his back and groin, News18 CricketNext has learnt that his poor form with the bat, and not fitness concern, has put him in the firing line.

Iyer failed to cross the 50-run-mark in his last 13 innings and he looks unsettled while batting in the first two Tests against England where he registered scores of 27, 29, 35 and 13.

Chopra gave his opinion on Iyer’s absence from the squad and asserted he looked ugly while batting which was not the case with Shubman Gill who also failed in the first three innings of the series but bounced back with a ton in the second innings of Vizag Test.

“Reports say that he was available for selection because there are three matches. So even if he wasn’t available for one match, he could have been available for the remaining two matches. So he was available for selection.”

“However, the selectors said that they weren’t going to pick him. Shubman Gill was also in the same boat but he never looked ugly. People said that about Shreyas in the Vizag Test match and what they said wasn’t wrong,” the former India opener said on his YouTube channel.

Talking further about Iyer’s struggles in the first two Tests, Chopra pointed out that the middle-order batter looked unsettled while playing short balls.

“In the Vizag match, he was backing away while playing every short ball. It just does not look nice. If you start playing like that, a question comes for sure why he is playing like that because that just did not look right,” he added.

Iyer has been a mainstay in India’s ODI squad but his form in Test cricket has become a big concern for the team now.

Meanwhile, the former India opener said that the Mumbaikar has to address the issues he is facing.

“Shreyas Iyer had a very good World Cup. I feel his white-ball cricket is going to remain good. The way he bats, he will continue playing very well, but this problem is going to repeatedly come in Test cricket till he addresses it completely,” he conlcuded.