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India’s decision to ignore Shreyas Iyer for the next month’s Asia Cup has polarised opinions.
Shreyas Iyer was the sixth highest run-getter of IPL 2025. (PTI Photo)
Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Asia Cup 2025 has created quite an uproar with several former India players expressing their disappointment. While chief of selectors Ajit Agarkar offered an explanation that they can only take 15 players for the tournament while wondering whom he can replace in the current T20I squad. Interestingly, the team has also made a list of players on standby, but Iyer doesn’t feature in it either.
Iyer has been in top form in white-ball cricket for some time now. He was India’s highest run-getter at the Champions Trophy and then ended up the IPL 2025 season with 604 runs at a strike-rate of 175.07.
New Zealand batting legend Ross Taylor says that the fact that India are finding it difficult to include a player of Iyer’s quality speaks volumes about their depth.
“I haven’t seen the side yet so can’t say. (But) when you can leave that type of quality out, you’ve got to be pretty comfortable with the depth of your squad,” Taylor told PTI Videos on the sidelines of a CLT10 League event.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the India squad that starts its title defense on September 10 against Oman. Shubman Gill, whose last T20I came in July 2024, has returned to the fold as vice-captain.
World Cup winner and former opener Kris Srikkanth didn’t agree with Agarkar’s explanation. He claimed that if the selectors can find space to include Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh and Sanju Samson, then it’s illogical to leave out Iyer.
“For a player who has performed so well, you are saying: ‘tell me who he will replace in the side’. I cannot understand this statement. It’s a nonsensical statement from Agarkar. Totally nonsensical. I don’t agree with him,” Srikkanth said.
“You can accommodate Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh and Sanju Samson, but there’s no place for Shreyas Iyer. What is this statement? I cannot understand the logic behind this. There’s no logic at all,” he added.
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital…Read More
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital… Read More
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The postNew Zealand Legend’s Big Remark After India Snub Shreyas Iyer: ‘When You Can Leave That Type Of Quality…’ | Cricket News appeared first on News18