Shreyas Iyer was omitted from the India's Asia Cup 2025 squad
Many former cricketers have shown their disagreement from Iyer's omission
Iyer scored 604 runs in the IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 175.07
The Shreyas Iyer conundrum is one of Indian cricket’s most perplexing selection sagas. His exclusion from India's Asia Cup 2025 squad, despite a strong Indian Premier League (IPL) season, has reignited long-simmering debates.
While announcing the Indian squad for the Asia Cup, the BCCI Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar said that India "can only pick 15. He’ll have to wait for his chance.”
Former cricketers have criticised Iyer’s exclusion. Harbhajan Singh questioned the omission, highlighting Iyer’s strong performances and leadership in the IPL. Ravichandran Ashwin said such decisions could prompt players like Iyer to reconsider their approach to the game.
Abhishek Nayar, the former India assistant coach, dropped a bombshell: “Maybe Shreyas Iyer is not liked as much as someone else.”
Asia Cup 2025 Omission Not An Isolated Case
Despite scoring 604 runs in the IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 175.07, leading Punjab Kings to the final, Iyer was not picked in the 15-member squad, or even among the five standbys.
His Asia Cup 2025 omission isn’t an isolated case. It’s part of a pattern, according to fans, and it's troubling.
He made his T20I debut in 2017. The middle batter established himself as a regular in the following years, playing series here and there. But he wasn't picked for big events.
- T20 World Cup 2021: Not in final 15 despite strong form
- T20 World Cup 2022: Missed selection
- BCCI Central Contracts 2023-24: Dropped after he missed Ranji Trophy, citing back issues
- T20 World Cup 2024: Ignored despite leading Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL title
- Asia Cup 2025: Not even in standbys
Three Things To Note:
- Despite consistent stats, 1104 runs in 47 T20Is at a strike rate of 136.12, he’s often overlooked
- He’s captained three IPL franchises to finals, yet lacks backing from the national setup
- His classical technique and middle-order anchoring may not align with India’s current T20 blueprint, which favors explosive finishers
Unless there's an injury or dramatic dip in form from current players, Iyer may miss the T20 World Cup 2026, too. Each time, he has responded with runs, leadership, and resilience, but the selectors seem to have other plans.
