Former India opener Aakash Chopra has made it clear that Shreyas Iyer is unlikely to be considered for a return to the Test team anytime soon. According to Chopra, despite Iyer’s solid performances in domestic and T20 cricket, a recall to the red-ball set-up does not seem likely in the immediate future.
He pointed out that several others are still awaiting consistent opportunities and remain ahead in the pecking order.
There has been growing public sentiment around Shreyas Iyer’s potential return to the Test team, especially after his match-winning performances in white-ball cricket. However, the Indian team management seems focused on giving extended runs to players already in the red-ball set-up rather than making fresh inclusions based on the Indian Premier League (IPL) or limited-overs form.
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Aakash Chopra Shuts Down Talk of Shreyas Iyer's Immediate Test Return
Iyer, who last played a Test in February 2024 against England, has been out of the longest format since a string of underwhelming performances, particularly overseas.
While his white-ball stocks remain high, the Indian Test side has gradually moved forward, backing a new set of batters in the middle-order. Names like Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, and Dhruv Jurel have entered the discussion, while Karun Nair recently made a comeback into the team. In such a scenario, Chopra does not see Iyer jumping the queue.
Reacting to a fan question about whether Iyer might be back in the Test fold after India’s five-wicket loss versus England at Headingley, Chopra offered a blunt assessment:
"No, Sir. There is no issue in batting in any case, and his number will not come now. I mean it won't come immediately. The number can come any time, but it wasn't supposed to come now because the others haven't gotten an opportunity," Chopra said as quoted on his YouTube channel.
He explained that even players who are already part of the Test squad are yet to receive a fair run, making it unlikely for someone outside the setup to leapfrog into contention.
"If you think about it, Karun Nair has played just now. You are unable to give Sarfaraz Khan an opportunity. Dhruv Jurel is sitting outside. So when the players who are already there aren't getting full opportunities, how will Shreyas' number come? So there was no chance of Shreyas Iyer's number coming now," he added.
While acknowledging Iyer’s recent success in limited-overs cricket, Chopra maintained that red-ball cricket, especially in overseas conditions, demands a different yardstick.
"Yes, I know, since he had a very good first-class season, had a good IPL, made the team win, and all of that, it's beautiful, white-ball cricket, but Test cricket, especially away from home, his time will come, but I think it won't come now. He will have to wait a little more," Chopra asserted.
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Shreyas Iyer's Test Numbers
Iyer has played 12 Test matches so far in his career. The 30-year-old has scored 811 runs with the highest score of 105 at an average of 36.86.
While these numbers do not inspire much confidence, he has been one of India’s best white-ball batters in recent times. He also took Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the final of the IPL 2025 with his batting and captaincy.
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