 "Gambhir and Team India selectors had 'heated discussion' over Shreyas Iyer, second wicket-keeper's spot: Report")
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors reportedly have been involved in a heated discussion over retaining Shreyas Iyer in the Men in Blue's Champions Trophy 2025 squad . The coach and selectors are also not on the same page as far as the second wicket-keeper in the team is concerned.
Iyer, who recently returned to the Indian side, had an impressive ODI series against England , scoring 181 runs in three matches with two fifties. Meanwhile, KL Rahul was the wicket-keeper in all three ODIs and Rishabh Pant did not get a single game.
Remember while announcing the Champions Trophy 2025 in January, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar had stated that Pant was the first-choice wicket-keeper.
Gambhir decided to go against selectors?
Now a report in the Times of India has claimed that there were heated discussions in the selection meeting over retaining Iyer in the squad and the second wicket-keeper slot.
“Sources indicated that there had been heated debate in the selection meeting around retaining Shreyas Iyer in the team and over the second wicketkeeper’s slot,” the TOI report said.
It has to be noted that Gambhir at the end of the ODI series against England confirmed that Rahul was India's first-choice wicketkeeper for the Champions Trophy 2025.
“Ultimately, it’s very difficult to talk about individuals, but all I can say is that if Pant is a part of the squad, he will get an opportunity. But at the moment obviously, KL is our number one wicketkeeper, and he’s delivered for us. When you have two wicketkeepers in the squad, you can’t play both with the kind of quality we’ve got. Hopefully, whenever he [Pant] gets an opportunity, he should be ready for it,” Gambhir said.
If anything, the latest leak only highlights the divide between Team India’s management and the selectors over Iyer and the wicketkeepers. However, it is only natural to have differences of opinion. As long as it doesn’t harm the Indian cricket team, it shouldn’t be a major concern.
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