Harbhajan Singh questions BCCI over Shreyas Iyer's snub, backs THIS 24-year-old to bat at no.3 in England Test series

Legendary Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his choice for the No.3 position in the Indian team for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. He has also criticized BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir for excluding the talented 30-year-old batter Shreyas Iyer from the squad for the England tour.

The right-handed batsman Shreyas Iyer has risen to prominence as one of the leading players in Indian cricket over the past few years, showcasing impressive leadership abilities. He has made notable advancements in his batting and has successfully addressed his short-ball vulnerability. Currently, Iyer is a regular member of India's ODI team, yet the selection committee has entirely overlooked him for red-ball cricket and T20Is.

Iyer had an outstanding season in the Indian Premier League 2025, leading Punjab Kings to the final while amassing 604 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. Prior to that, he participated in five Ranji Trophy matches during the 2024-25 season, scoring 480 runs at an impressive average of 68.57.

Despite his consistent performances across various formats, Iyer was left out of the Test squad for the England tour, a decision that has not been well received by many fans and cricket analysts.

While attending the launch of the Vidarbha Cricket League in Nagpur, Harbhajan Singh remarked that Iyer is a proven performer who should have been included in the England Test series. The legendary off-spinner also encouraged the 30-year-old, advising him not to let the Test exclusion affect him, as he is a talented player who could potentially lead the Indian ODI team in the near future.

“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.”

With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from Test cricket, along with the exclusion of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, several batting positions have become available in the Indian Test team.

In the upcoming five-match Test series against England, it has been reported that Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, and Shubman Gill are set to occupy the top four batting slots.

When Harbhajan Singh was inquired about who would fill the vital No. 3 position, he expressed his support for the young talent Sai Sudharsan and stated:

“In my opinion, Sai Sudharsan should play at No.3. He's a left-hander, in top form, and just came off a very impressive IPL. His technique is sound, and I believe he could be the solution at that position."

Also read| 'I don't enjoy that': Shreyas Iyer drops 'backstabbing' bombshell after losing back-to-back title clashes as captain