Gambhir And Agarkar Clash Over Shreyas Iyer's Champions Trophy Spot

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The disagreement between Gambhir and Agarkar over team selection highlights the internal tensions within the Indian cricket camp. Despite differing opinions, Shreyas Iyer’s strong form has earned him a spot in the Champions Trophy squad.

Indian Team Gears Up for Champions Trophy, but Tension Arises Over Shreyas Iyer’s Spot

The Indian cricket team, fresh off a 3-0 victory in the ODI series against England, is preparing for its opening Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20. However, recent reports have revealed a major disagreement between head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar over the team selection, especially when it comes to Shreyas Iyer.

KL Rahul vs Rishabh Pant: A Selection Dilemma

In the England series, KL Rahul played all three ODIs, while backup wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant did not get a chance. Agarkar reportedly wanted Pant to be included in the playing XI, believing that Pant should be the primary wicketkeeper. But Gambhir disagreed, saying that Rahul was the first-choice wicketkeeper for the team. This public difference in opinion raised questions about Pant’s role in the squad, with Gambhir strongly arguing that having two wicketkeepers in the playing XI wasn’t practical.

Axar Patel’s Impact on Pant’s Chances

Pant’s chances of making it into the playing XI were further limited by the team’s preference for a left-handed batter in the middle order. Axar Patel has often been promoted up the batting order, which has pushed Pant down the pecking order. Axar’s good form, with scores of 52 and 41 in the first two ODIs against England, combined with his key performance in last year’s T20 World Cup final, made it tough for Pant to break into the team.

Shreyas Iyer’s Selection Sparks Disagreement

Shreyas Iyer has also been in great form, scoring 181 runs in the three ODIs against England. Despite this, Agarkar reportedly disagreed with Iyer’s selection for both the England series and the Champions Trophy. However, Gambhir was determined to include Iyer in the squad and insisted on his selection, which eventually secured Iyer’s place. This difference of opinion regarding Iyer’s inclusion is said to be the cause of the rift between Gambhir and Agarkar.

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