Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar raised the key question to chief selector Ajit Agarkar—why Shreyas Iyer was completely left out of the Asia Cup squad, not even as a reserve. The decision has sparked debate, especially after Iyer’s remarkable run in IPL 2025, where he not only scored consistently but also guided Punjab Kings to the final.

Iyer’s Consistent Performances Ignored

At 30, Iyer has been away from India’s T20 setup since December 2023, when he last played against Australia and struck a half-century. Since then, he has missed both T20Is and the 2024 World Cup. However, his IPL record has been outstanding.

He led Kolkata Knight Riders to their third title in 2023 and then took Punjab Kings to their first final in over a decade. In IPL 2025, he had his best-ever season, finishing as the sixth-highest run-scorer with 604 runs in 17 matches. He averaged 50.33 and batted with a strike rate of 175.07, hitting six fifties along the way.

Despite these numbers, the selectors overlooked him for the Asia Cup squad.

Agarkar’s Explanation

Agarkar admitted that Iyer had not done anything wrong but said he would “have to wait for his chance” to return to the T20I side. This reasoning, however, did not convince Nayar.

Nayar’s Strong Reaction

Speaking on Star Sports, Nayar questioned the selectors’ call. He said, "I don’t know, actually, I wanted to ask the question, aggar Shreyas Iyer itna hi accha hai toh reserve mei kyu nahi hai (so how come he’s not in your reserve players? If it’s true that he is such a strong contender). Sometimes, I mean, you know, selection meetings can be quite interesting and the discussion that happens in a selection meeting can be very interesting."

Nayar further argued that no explanation could justify Iyer’s omission. "But I can’t fathom and I don’t understand what reason can justify Shreyas Iyer not being part of that 20-member squad… because even if things don’t work out, you are not coming in the team. Either Riyan Parag is going to make the cut, or someone else is," he added.

Success in ODIs but Still Left Out

Iyer recently returned to India’s ODI team during the England series and played a crucial role in India’s Champions Trophy triumph. He finished as India’s highest run-scorer in the tournament with 243 runs in five innings at an average of 48.60, hitting two half-centuries. Yet, he remains sidelined from both Tests and T20Is.

“Maybe He Is Not Liked Enough”

Nayar concluded with a bold observation. He said selection sometimes comes down to preference rather than just performance. "So that’s the big question here… all players are top players, everyone is good then it’s about who you like a little more than the other… And somewhere I just feel in that regard maybe Shreyas Iyer is not liked as much as someone else is, maybe," Nayar remarked.