Despite being in strong form across formats, Shreyas Iyer has not found a place in India’s Test squad for the upcoming five-match series against England. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the media after announcing the squad and explained the reason behind Iyer’s absence from the red-ball setup “Shreyas had a good one-day series, played well in domestic as well, but right now there's no room in Test cricket,” Agarkar stated. The selector had confirmed that the decision was not performance-based but rather due to the current team composition and competition for spots. Iyer was one of India’s standout batters in the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy, finishing as the team's top run-scorer with 243 runs. He followed that up with consistent performances in the IPL 2025 season, where he is captaining Punjab Kings. Under his leadership, PBKS have qualified for the playoffs and are in contention to finish at the top of the table. With 435 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate close to 175, Iyer has proved his batting prowess and form. However, the selectors have opted to invest in different Test middle-order batters for the England tour, preferring the likes of KL Rahul, Karun Nair, and B Sai Sudharsan, while also recalling Abhimanyu Easwaran and retaining Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma now retired from Tests, India’s transition in the longest format appears to be fully underway. Also READ: India squad for England announced; Shubman Gill named new captain India enter Test transition phase While Agarkar acknowledged Iyer’s recent success, he also made it clear that competition in the middle order is intense. The selection panel seemed to have leaned towards long-term red-ball consistency rather than immediate white-ball form. Also READ: “Didn’t have any answers”: Jitesh Sharma admits RCB were outplayed after 42-run loss to SRH With the new ICC World Test Championship cycle beginning, India appears to be investing in players who they believe will anchor the format for years to come. Shreyas, though sidelined from the Test squad for now, remains a key figure in India's white-ball setup and will look to continue his form as Punjab Kings head into the IPL playoffs.