The selectors have come under heavy fire from former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for failing to include Shreyas Iyer in the India squad for the 2025 Asia Cup. Ashwin called the omission “sad and unfair,” particularly in light of Iyer’s previous performances.
Many were taken aback by Shreyas Iyer absence, especially considering that he had been dropped from all forms and had not been given a central contract earlier this year. However, he performed admirably in the middle order during the ICC Champions Trophy, making a triumphant return.
Shreyas Iyer reclaimed his core contract after putting up steady performances in domestic cricket, but the selectors have once again passed him over.
Shreyas Iyer exclusion disappointed Ashwin, who pointed out that the batter demonstrated his value by helping the Punjab Kings (PBKS) reach their first IPL final since 2014. He also recalled that Shreyas Iyer had previously overcame his short ball problem and led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the 2024 IPL championship while being mentored by Gautam Gambhir.
“What went wrong for Shreyas? He performed exceptionally well for KKR, which led to their victory. They put him up for auction. Then, for the first time since 2014, he led Punjab to the championship game. He conquered the short ball issue. In the IPL, he was easily hitting players like Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada. Take a look at Shreyas’ qualifications. He was dropped from the team. he entered the Champions Trophy and batted brilliantly. You got it from him after he won. On his YouTube channel, Ashwin posted, “I am just very sad for him and Yashasvi Jaiswal; it is very unfair.”
Bringing in Shubman Gill is unfair: Ashwin
Shreyas Iyer did everything necessary to earn a spot on the national squad, according to Ashwin, and it sends the wrong message to ignore a player of that level. He also expressed his disapproval of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s exclusion from the 15-man roster, claiming it was unjust, particularly in light of Shubman Gill’s promotion to vice-captain of India for the Asia Cup 2025 after he was only a standby player in the T20 World Cup 2024.
“You have added Shubman Gill to the lineup by taking a player out of the World Cup-winning squad when you have Jaiswal as your third opener. I mean, I’m glad for Shubman, but I’m really sad for Jaiswal and Shreyas. Simply put, it’s unfair to both,” Ashwin remarked.
Iyer’s next game will be in the 2025 Duleep Trophy. Iyer is expected to play a significant part in the competition for West Zone, where renowned all-rounder Shardul Thakur has been selected captain of a formidable group.
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