Related Articles
Ever since being excluded from the BCCI’s central contract list, Shreyas Iyer has been a man on a mission, proving his doubters wrong across formats. From leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to IPL glory last year to guiding Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and playing a key role in India’s unbeaten Champions Trophy triumph, Iyer has done it all.
Now, with a match-winning 97 for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2025, the calls to bring him back into India’s Test and T20I squads are getting louder—Sourav Ganguly leading the charge.
Table of content
Ganguly’s Clear Message to BCCI: Bring Back Iyer
After Iyer’s stunning knock helped PBKS defeat Gujarat Titans in a high-scoring thriller, Ganguly took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise the batter:
🗣️ “Shreyas Iyer, the most improved batsman in the last 1 year… ready for all formats. Great to see his improvement after a few issues on length.”
This endorsement from one of India’s most successful captains has reignited the debate about why Iyer continues to be overlooked in India’s Test and T20I squads despite consistent performances.
Iyer’s Exclusion: The Domestic Cricket Controversy
- Iyer and Ishan Kishan were denied central contracts for skipping domestic cricket.
- BCCI had earlier warned players to prioritize domestic cricket when not on national duty.
- Iyer, who led KKR in IPL 2024, was released before the mega auction, with PBKS splashing ₹26.75 crore to sign him—the highest-ever IPL bid.
Selfless Leadership at PBKS
Beyond his batting, Iyer has also been praised for his selfless approach. During PBKS’ win over GT, Shashank Singh revealed Iyer’s instructions in the final overs:
🗣️ “Don’t think about my hundred. Just hit as many boundaries as you can.”
Shashank took Iyer’s words to heart, smashing a 16-ball 44, propelling PBKS to 243/5—a total that GT couldn’t chase down.
What’s Next for Iyer?
With strong backing from Ganguly and a dream start to IPL 2025, will the BCCI finally bring Iyer back into the Indian Test and T20I squads? His recent form suggests he’s more than ready.
What do you think? Should Iyer be reinstated in India’s red and white-ball setups?
