Shreyas Iyer's hopes for an immediate Test comeback appear to be fading, with strong competition and team management's focus on current players seemingly blocking his path. Despite public sentiment and Iyer's own desire to return to the Test squad, particularly after strong performances in white-ball cricket, his chances look slim in the near future.

Iyer last played a Test match in February 2024 against England. While he has performed well in domestic and T20 cricket, a Test recall doesn't seem likely anytime soon. According to Aakash Chopra, several other players are ahead of him in the pecking order and are awaiting consistent opportunities.

Iyer's previous Test performances, especially overseas, have been underwhelming. In the meantime, the Indian Test side has been gradually moving forward, supporting a new set of middle-order batters. Names like Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel, and Karun Nair have entered the discussion. Karun Nair even made a comeback into the team.

Aakash Chopra has shut down any talk of Iyer's immediate Test return. Reacting to a fan question about Iyer's potential return after India's loss versus England at Headingley, Chopra stated that it was unlikely. He explained that players already in the Test squad are yet to receive a fair run. He further questioned how Iyer's number would come when players already in the team like Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, and Dhruv Jurel are waiting for opportunities.

When the squad for the England Test series was announced, there was some anger among fans towards head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar for ignoring Iyer, despite a good first-class season for Mumbai. Ajit Agarkar said that despite Iyer's strong performance, he might not get a place in the team yet.

Former India pacer Atul Wassan believes that a perception that Iyer can't play well in England could be a reason for his omission. Iyer has played three Tests in SENA nations, scoring 75 runs. Wassan believes that the team goes with an inner feeling and forecasts a particular player's performance based on that.

Iyer had a good first-class season for Mumbai. Iyer last played a Test against England in 2024 and was dropped midway through the series. He was then asked to play Ranji Trophy but failed to play for the state, leading to the BCCI releasing him from the central contract. Strong performances in white-ball cricket have led to Iyer's return to the contracts list, but a Test return is still awaited.

In his Test career so far, Iyer has played 14 Test matches, scoring 811 runs at an average of 36.81, including one century and five half-centuries. In October 2024, Iyer expressed his desire for a Test comeback after scoring a century in the Ranji Trophy. He stated that his job is to perform and leave the rest to the selection committee.

Sarfaraz Khan made an impact on his debut, scoring 62 runs against England. He followed that with another half-century in the next innings and a century against New Zealand in Bengaluru. However, despite these performances, he is yet to play a Test match overseas.