Harbhajan Singh backs Shreyas Iyer in Test cricket despite omission from England tour

Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has backed Shreyas Iyer to make a comeback into the Test team after his exclusion from England tour. The PBKS captain scored 604 runs in 17 matches at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07 in the recently concluded season of IPL and led the franchise with aplomb.

Iyer scored 480 runs in five Ranji Trophy 2024-25 matches at an impressive average of 68.57, but chief selector Ajit Agarkar said the Mumbai batter needs to perform more at the domestic level.

Harbhajan Singh hailed Iyer’s white-ball numbers and said he could be India’s future ODI captain.

Singh said on the sidelines of the Vidarbha Cricket League launch in Nagpur, “Shreyas Iyer is a very fine player. He’s proven himself in ODIs, performed in the World Cup, Champions Trophy, and IPL. So yes, he should’ve been in the squad. But maybe the selectors don’t see him as a red-ball player right now. If I were part of the selection committee, I would have considered him. But this is not the end — his journey is long, and he might even be a future ODI captain. One missed tour doesn’t mean his career is over.”

On the other hand, India has picked a young team for the England tour after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s retirement. The Turbanator backed the team to deliver on the England tour and said these are the same youngsters who had breached Australia’s Gabba fortress on the 2020-21 tour.

“The team needs to believe in themselves — believe that they can win. This team has the ability,” Harbhajan said. “These are the same youngsters — Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant — who broke Australia’s fortress at the Gabba. Now it’s their turn to make history again. The opportunity is massive, and they should grab it with both hands,” said Harbhajan (via the aforementioned source).

The opening Test match between India and England will be played at Leeds, Headingley, from June 20 onwards.