Shreyas Iyer: Dropped or Injured?

Shreyas Iyer has been one of the most talented batters India have produced over the years. The batting star has been a mainstay in the Indian squad for the last three to four years across formats. Particularly in ODIs and Tests, the right-handed batter has played terrific knocks which will be remembered for a long time. Even in T20Is, he has helped India to win some matches, although he is not a regular.

In the ongoing series between India and England, the middle-order batter played the first two Tests in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam respectively. However, the established batter was ruled out of the series due to a groin injury and a stiff back. As India later announced the squad for the last three Tests, Iyer did not find his name in the list, and quite obviously so.

As per the protocols, the Indian players with central contracts will be treated at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for quick recovery. However, a shocking report has come out which claims that the NCA has declared Iyer to be fully fit to play. It has also made one wonder why the BCCI declared the 29-year-old injured, considering the reports to be true.

At the same time, the BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, personally released a statement claiming that the players who prefer the IPL over the Ranji Trophy might face consequences. There were a few indications that the statements were directed towards Iyer, Ishan Kishan and Deepak Chahar.

After Iyer was released from the squad, he wished to not take part in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final match for Mumbai. However, it did not seem like the BCCI was happy with the decision of the 29-year-old, as they had to give a statement on the same. If Iyer was injured, it does not make sense for the BCCI to expect the player to take part in a Ranji Trophy match.

These are the signs that lead to the argument that Iyer was fit and not injured, which might mean that the Mumbai batter was dropped from the squad. If BCCI wants to drop a player, it is in their very right to do so. However, reporting fake injuries and terming it as the reason behind the players not featuring in the squad is a bizarre move.

It is not the first instance that BCCI has taken such decisions on players. There has been a popular opinion that the Board claims the player to be injured without them actually being injured. There is also an argument that in some cases, the BCCI does not inform the players of being dropped but find ‘indirect’ ways to replace them with others in the squad or in the XI.

Why does the BCCI not inform the players of getting dropped? That's a topic worth thinking about. But, there are instances where the fans are disappointed when players do not get picked. To express their anguish against the Board and the selectors, the fans start trends on 'X' and let the people in power know what they want. 

Sarfaraz Khan, Sanju Samson, and Ruturaj Gaikwad are to name some. There is a popular opinion that the BCCI fears the opinions of the fans. The trends started by fans might have an impact on the eventual squad of India for some of the squads. Likewise, if a player gets dropped, their fans are likely to start a trend which might put the people in power under pressure. 

It is believed that the BCCI avoids such situations by announcing a player to have a certain injury. In Iyer's case, his bad form might have played a key role in getting released from the squad. There has also been immense pressure from the fans to see their favourite stars to be in the XI. It meant that the KKR skipper was the one to be left out.

The terrific player of spin has not boasted good numbers in Tests for a long time. Since the start of 2023, Iyer has featured in seven Test matches for India. In 12 innings, the aggressive batter has managed to score just 187 runs. Iyer has averaged just 17 with a best score of just 35. Shreyas has two ducks to his name in the period and has not even scored a fifty.

These are concerning numbers and Shreyas must improve by working on his batting. Given the class of the batter, one only expects a lot from him. However, there seems to be selective backing in the Indian team. Iyer has had a bad patch in the format. Yet, he has been released from the Indian squad. On the other hand, Shubman Gill is backed despite being out of form for a long time.

From 2021 to 2023, Gill averaged just 29.48 in 33 innings. The star batter managed to score only 914 runs including two fifties and four hundreds in the period. Yet, Gill was backed and he did repay the faith shown by the management by scoring a hundred and a 91 in the second and the third Tests respectively of the ongoing series. Such decisions from the board can send wrong messages to the players.

In all honesty, players must be properly communicated the reason behind being dropped or in case rest. Lack of communication and reasoning might lead to confusion, which takes the team or the individual nowhere. Iyer seems to be the unfortunate player to get selectively dropped by the Indian management, with improper reasoning.