Abhimanyu Easwaran was chosen to lead the India 'A' squad on a major journey to England that is set to start on May 30. The BCCI had publicized the team on Friday (May 16), and most of the picks were expected, though some of them were surprising. It is quite delightful to mention that we saw the names of players such as Shardul Thakur and Karun Nair on the list, who are in good form this domestic season, receive the call-ups. However, it is sad to know that a few players from the former squad were not given the green light this time—Abhishek Porel, Ricky Bhui, Yash Dayal, Baba Indrajith, and Navdeep Saini were all removed. Devdutt Padikkal who was a candidate didn't get to play because of an injury. Equally surprising was the decision by BCCI to exclude Shreyas Iyer and Arshdeep Singh, which resulted in a massive heated debate. Why no Shreyas Iyer? The addition of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill to the ‘A’ tour turned out to be a brilliant move by the board, and it gave the chance for the regulars to get more matches where they can practice their skills. The process of excluding Shreyas Iyer, however, was not fair. The decision also seems off, even though there were some previous reports suggesting that such a move might be made. Iyer’s consistency in the Indian squad has helped him in becoming one of the most reliable performers. He was the top-scorer in the ODI World Cup 2023, but the BCCI dropped him due to the controversy surrounding the IPL. Later on, he lifted KKR to an IPL win in 2024 and also became the star of the domestic season. Alright, buckle up because this whole selection deal is just... bizarre, honestly. First off, the dude drops 480 runs in Ranji at a whopping 68.5 average (oh, and let’s not forget the double ton), then turns around and smacks another 325 in the Vijay Hazare, all at a strike rate north of 130. He’s been on fire in the Champions Trophy and IPL 2025. But here we are, left scratching our heads while the selectors sit on their hands, still mourning the Rohit-Virat era instead of, you know, actually using Iyer’s ridiculous form. Arshdeep Singh was a must: Arshdeep Sing, now there’s another name we should be talking about. The guy swings it left-arm like a dream whenever there’s even a whisper of movement in the air. Plus, he's paid his dues in County Cricket and has been in solid nick. But nah, they skip right past him, yet again. Instead, they roll out Khaleel Ahmed, which I guess is fine, and then randomly toss Tushar Deshpande into the mix. Not really sure what he brings that others don’t, except another unnecessary pacer. Shrugs all around. Weird vice-captaincy choice? And don’t even get me started on Ruturaj Gaikwad. What?! He barely makes a ripple in IPL 2025 thanks to that bum elbow—misses a chunk of the season, not even a blip in the selection rumors. Suddenly, boom, he’s on the team sheet. Meanwhile, the squad’s already drowning in openers: Easwaran, Jaiswal, later Gill and Sudharsan all lining up. Where’s Gaikwad supposed to fit, in the physio’s office? His numbers at home aren’t blowing anyone’s mind either. Just 330 from three Ranji games, one knock above fifty, then nothing. Seems like they just spun the wheel and picked whoever it landed on. Another strange call was to name Dhruv Jurel vice-captain. While he has been in the Test squad when Rishabh Pant has been unavailable, Yashasvi Jaiswal would have been a better fit for that role. Jaiswal is a long-term asset and it would have been good to develop him as a leader. He, and Gill, are likely to be the foundation of India going forward and a leadership role would have been a bonus in his development. India A squad for the England tour: Batters:Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC) (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan All-rounders:Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Harsh Dubey Bowlers:Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Tushar DeshpandeShubman Gill* and Sai Sudharsan* will join the squad ahead of the second match.