Shreyas Iyer stabbed in the back, said 'fine, I won't utter a word' after being left out of India vs England Tests: Kaif

You've got to feel for Shreyas Iyer. First, he was stripped of BCCI's central contracts for not playing enough domestic cricket, then released from Kolkata Knight Riders despite leading them to IPL glory. And if that wasn't enough, Iyer found his name missing from India's 18-member team that is to tour England for a five-Test series, despite the retirements of big shots Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Shreyas Iyer has scored more than 500 runs and counting for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025(PTI)

But if there's anything Shreyas Iyer is about, it's tenacity, grit and determination. It's these three elements that have made him thrive. When back injuries threatened to pin him down, he stormed back with a string of impressive performances in the domestic circuit. When he was released by KKR for apparently 'not coming to terms' with a particular amount that the winning captain, he was picked up by another franchise – the Punjab Kings – for a whopping ₹26.75 crore, making him the second-costliest player in the history of the IPL auction. And what does he do? He lives up to that insane price tag and takes PBKS to their first-ever playoff in 10 years. Now that's the stuff champions are made of.

Someone who's followed Iyer closely for a long time is former India batter Mohammad Kaif. He was part of the Delhi Capitals set-up when Iyer took over as captain mid-season from Gautam Gambhir in 2018, led them to the Qualifiers in 2019, and propelled DC to the IPL final in 2021. Hence, Kaif, surprised at Iyer's omission from India's Test squad, hailed him as a role model for the upcoming generation of young cricketers.

Also Read: 'Shreyas Iyer doesn't have technique. He's vulnerable'; Agarkar deemed right in not selecting batter for England tour

"If young players are searching for a role model, look no further than Shreyas Iyer. He was ignored from Test matches; his name did not come. So, what does Iyer do? He says, 'no issues. Fine, I won't say a word, won't say in the media that I am sad or upset'. He said, 'No, I captained KKR – there too I was stabbed in the back'. Still did not get retained'. He has moved on. Just keep quiet and let your bat do the talking. Look at him now. The entire world is singing his praises. He has taken Punjab Kings to No. 2 on the points table. That's the kind of hero one should have," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer's mental state 'unimaginable' after England snub

Mohammad Kaif calls out BCCI's decision

Kaif took exception to BCCI's treatment of Iyer, calling the board out for their hypocrisy. When the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, was asked about Iyer's omissions, the former India pacer responded by saying "Shreyas has played well in domestic cricket, but at the moment, there is no room for him in the Test team". Reacting to this, Kaif cited another player's example, someone who has enjoyed a brilliant IPL but has a First-Class record of 39.93, compared to Iyer's 48.57.

"Sai Sudharsan is a brilliant player, no doubt. But he was picked in the Test squad after a good IPL season (679 runs and counting). Iyer, meanwhile, has been doing well for so long. He scored some 550 runs in the 2023 ODI World Cup and in the Champions Trophy as well. He is still doing a terrific job with the bat for Punjab Kings – 514 runs and counting. He is captaining too. So on one hand, you are considering white-ball criteria for one player and not for the other," added Kaif.

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