The announcement of India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad has sparked widespread debate, particularly due to the exclusion of star batter Shreyas Iyer. Despite a remarkable run of form across domestic and international cricket, the Punjab Kings captain did not find a place in the 15-member T20 squad. Now, his father, Santosh Iyer, has voiced his concerns and shared his thoughts on the situation.
Father Expresses Disappointment Over Omission
Santosh Iyer highlighted that while Shreyas has consistently performed at the highest level, he often feels overlooked when it comes to T20 international selections. From his early IPL days with Delhi Capitals, to stints with Kolkata Knight Riders and now Punjab Kings, Iyer has shown outstanding leadership and batting prowess.
“He has been performing year after year in the IPL, whether as a player or a captain. He led KKR to the IPL title in 2024 and PBKS to the final this year. I’m not asking for him to be made India captain, but at least he deserves a spot in the squad. Even when left out, he remains calm and composed. He doesn’t show dissent, but deep down, he must be naturally disappointed,” Santosh Iyer told TOI.
Calm Persona Amid Setback
Santosh further explained that Shreyas’s nature is always calm and composed, regardless of setbacks. Despite being snubbed by the BCCI selection committee, he continues to focus on his game rather than expressing frustration publicly.
“𝑯𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔, ‘𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒃 𝒉𝒂𝒊’ (𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌). 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒅𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚—𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍, 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒎, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅,” 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒔𝒉.
Shreyas’ exclusion has left fans and experts questioning the logic behind the squad selection, especially given his recent IPL performances. With his leadership record and consistent form, many believe the youngster could have added both stability and an X-factor to India’s T20I lineup.
As India gears up for the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE, starting September 9, the debate around Shreyas Iyer’s omission is expected to continue, putting the spotlight on selection strategies and the team’s combination choices ahead of the continental tournament.
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