Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar has come out in defence of Shreyas Iyer after the right-handed batter was denied a central contract for the 2023/24 season by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), pointing out that he had featured in the Ranji Trophy before the ongoing Test series against England began.

On February 28, Iyer and Kishan were not included in the 30-member BCCI Central Contracts list running from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024, with the governing body saying the duo were not recommended for the annual retainership. In the previous season, Iyer held a Grade B contract, while Kishan had a Grade C contract. Ranji Trophy 2024: Shreyas Iyer Disappoints on Return During Mumbai Vs Tamil Nadu Semifinal Match.

Iyer had played Mumbai's Ranji Trophy match against Andhra at the BKC Ground in January before the Tests against England began. But Iyer hadn't left a mark in the first two Tests against England, making scores of 35 and 13 in Hyderabad, followed by scoring 27 and 29 in Visakhapatnam.

Later, Iyer was left out of India's squad for the last three Tests against England and had pulled out of Mumbai's Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Baroda due to a back issue. As of now, Iyer is playing for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Tamil Nadu, where he was dismissed for just three in the first innings.