Shreyas Iyer has not been included in the squad for the Asia Cup. Leave aside the squad; the quality batter could not even make it to the reserves. The question arises, “What mistake has Iyer committed?”
It is certainly a fact that his IPL performance was just too phenomenal this time around. He scored 604 runs while striking at an impeccable 175 and averaging over 50. Iyer also proved his leadership skills yet again as he led the Punjab Kings to a final after 11 years. With the Asia Cup starting in no time and a T20 World Cup next year at home (India co-hosts with Sri Lanka), the fans desperately question Iyer’s future in the shortest format for India.
When asked about Iyer’s snub from the Asia Cup squad, chief selector Ajit Agarkar replied, “With regard to Shreyas, who can he replace? No fault of his, nor is it ours. At the moment, you can only pick 15,” Agarkar said in the press conference during the squad announcement.
The fans could not hold their anger towards this statement by Agarkar. It is true that India’s middle order looks solid with Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, and skipper Surya Kumar Yadav himself, but Iyer’s recent form is just too good to be ignored.
It was the IPL of 2025 that saw Shreyas Iyer emerge as a sensational and reliable middle-order batter in the T20s. In just the first game against the Gujarat Titans, the PBKS skipper smashed a classy 97* off just 42 balls, which included nine huge 6s and five 4s.
The city of Ahmedabad witnessed something special from the man who had a lot to prove. Not to forget the pressure he was carrying after being released by the Kolkata Knight Riders even after leading the franchise to an IPL triumph last year. Iyer was also the second-highest buy in this year’s auction. He was trusted for 26.75 Cr by the PBKS management.
What’s the one thing that is most impressive when it comes to Shreyas Iyer? Is it his batting technique, his smooth bat flow, or his ability to hit big? I think it’s the aura that he carries with himself that makes him look so sorted even in the toughest of situations.
The calm and the composure of Shreyas Iyer are the most admirable things about him. Throughout the IPL, he did not look under pressure even once. Arguably, one can say that Iyer is the unluckiest player at the moment. His T20 numbers speak for themselves. The fans still hope that the stylish batter somehow finds his way into the T20 World Cup squad.
