India's Shreyas Iyer stirred up quite a buzz last week in Nagpur, leading to some serious backlash against the Indian management. Iyer revealed that he wasn't initially slated to play in the first ODI against England, which raised eyebrows about India's strategy for the Champions Trophy, especially since it seemed to overlook one of their standout players from the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir stepped in to clarify the situation, explaining why Yashasvi Jaiswal was brought into the lineup for the match in Nagpur.

Iyer proved his worth in the ODI squad by scoring 181 runs over three innings, helping India achieve a clean sweep with a 3-0 victory against England.

After the opening match, Iyer made headlines with his explosive 36-ball 59, mentioning that he only got to play because Virat Kohli was sidelined with a swollen knee. This contradicted the assumption that Jaiswal was picked over Iyer. The comments led to speculation that Iyer might be replaced by Kohli in future games.

"He wasn't meant to sit out for the whole series. We wanted to give Yashasvi (Jaiswal) a chance in the first match to see what he could contribute since he was in great form in Australia," Gambhir explained after the final match on Wednesday.

'You can't really make a call on someone after just one round'

Jaiswal ended up sitting out the second and third ODIs of the series since Kohli came back. Initially, he was listed as a backup opener for the Champions Trophy, but he was later moved to the reserves.

Gambhir pointed out that it’s unfair to judge Jaiswal based on just one match, but he acknowledged that Iyer has always been a key player in India’s plans for the Champions Trophy.

"I get that you can't make a call on someone (Jaiswal) after just one innings. But we always knew Shreyas would be crucial for us. With only three games to play, it makes sense to rotate the squad," the coach explained.

"And with the Champions Trophy coming up, it’s important to make the most of these three games and give everyone a shot. But Shreyas was always part of the plan, and it’s great that he got to play all three matches," Gambhir added.

The Champions Trophy kicks off on February 19, with India facing Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.

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