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"He Only Rejects" Ex-India Pacer Tears Apart Gautam Gambhir For 'Not A Selector' Remark

Akshita Patel

Gautam Gambhir gets trolled [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]Gautam Gambhir gets trolled [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has stirred controversy after commenting on Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Test squad for the England tour. When asked why Iyer was dropped, Gambhir simply said, ‘I’m not the selector,’ which got him trolled by fans and critics.

When India announced its squad for the upcoming five-Test tour to England, Shubman Gill was named captain, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy. While Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan got their dues, Shreyas Iyer was snubbed despite consistent performances in domestic cricket.

Hence, head coach Gautam Gambhir was quizzed about Iyer’s mysterious snub, he said, ‘I’m not a selector.’ Atul Wassan, meanwhile, trolled Gambhir for his remark.

Atul Wassan Mocks Gautam Gambhir Over Shreyas Iyer’s Snub

Former Indian pacer Atul Wassan didn’t hold back and gave a cheeky reply when asked about Gautam Gambhir’s statement regarding Shreyas Iyer’s snub. Talking on 'Bails and Banter' show, he said:

"He [Gambhir] doesn't select; he only rejects. The coach has a role in team selection, and selectors also listen to them before naming the squad. If he has been given this position, then I think he deserves to go with his feeling, whether it's right or wrong."

Wassan added that a coach's opinion matters a lot in selections. He said selectors often consult the coach before finalising a squad, especially for a big tour like England. 

Iyer was left out of the 18-member squad despite having good numbers. He has scored 811 runs in 14 Tests, including a century on debut and several other valuable knocks. 

Experts believe his weakness against short-pitched bowling may have gone against him. England’s bowlers, especially with the Dukes ball, often use short balls as a weapon.

BCCI Insider Reveals Key Reason Behind Iyer’s Omission

Meanwhile, a BCCI insider has revealed to CricBlogger that Shreyas Iyer’s aggressive style was less suited to England’s red-ball conditions compared to Karun Nair’s calm approach. The selectors also ignored the IPL form, focusing strictly on first-class performances. This marks a clear move toward format-specific selections, where players must prove themselves in the format they’re being picked for. Hence, Nair got a nod ahead of Iyer.