Karun Nair totally blamed for Sarfaraz Khan, Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from India’s Test squad for England tour

Former Indian pacer Atul Wassan has weighed in on the exclusion of Sarfaraz Khan and Shreyas Iyer from the Test squad for the upcoming series in England. Wassan stated that Sarfaraz and Shreyas were not included as the team management felt that they wouldn't succeed in English conditions.

Sarfaraz Khan was left out of the Test squad despite being part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. Shreyas Iyer was also missing from the squad. Selection Committee Chairman Ajit Agarkar announced an 18-man squad for the Test series starting on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.

India Revamps Test Middle Order Following Virat Kohli’s Retirement

India revamped their Test middle order after Virat Kohli’s retirement. With veterans like Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara no longer in contention, the selectors had tough choices to make.

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They opted for Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Karun Nair to strengthen the batting unit. Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan, who had featured for India as recently as last year, were seen as front-runners but were ultimately overlooked.

Karun Nair returned to the squad after an eight-year absence, while Sudharsan received his maiden Test call-up. The reasoning behind these decisions remains unclear, known only to the selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

The Team Goes With Inner Feeling and Forecasts... - Atul Wassan

Atul Wassan said that the selectors seemed convinced that Sarfaraz Khan and Shreyas Iyer would fail in English conditions. He added that the selection process often comes down to gut feeling. Wassan also said that the buzz around Nair's performance led to Sarfaraz and Iyer's snub.

"Sarfaraz made three fifties and a hundred but did not get a single chance in Australia, and it's some sort of perception that the player won't perform," he said on the 12th episode of the Bails and Banter show on OTTPlay.

"Similarly, Shreyas Iyer did not get selected because some believe he hasn't done good in red-ball cricket. And also, the buzz is around Karun Nair. Sometimes, the team goes with the inner feeling and forecasts a particular player's performance based on that," he added.

Sarfaraz has scored three half-centuries and a hundred in his short Test career. However, he has not played a match outside India. Iyer, on the other hand, has struggled in overseas Tests, managing only 75 runs from three matches in SENA countries.

Sarfaraz Khan Made His Test Debut for India Last Year

Sarfaraz Khan scored 62 runs on his debut against England. He followed it up with an unbeaten 68 in the second innings, helping India secure a massive 434-run win in Rajkot. Khan also scored another half-century before registering his maiden Test century against New Zealand in Bengaluru.

India were whitewashed 0-3 in that series against New Zealand. Sarfaraz was later included in the squad for the Australia tour but didn’t get to play. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer last played a Test match during the England series. He was also omitted from BCCI's central contracts list last year.

Karun Nair scored 863 runs in the Ranji Trophy and added another 779 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His public appeal to "Dear Cricket" became a reality with his national team call-up.

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