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Shreyas Iyer In Punjab Kings Conference - (Source: AFP)
The much-awaited Asia Cup squad was made public on Tuesday, August 19, when the selectors, alongside captain Suryakumar Yadav, addressed the press to name the 15-member list.
The squad missed key names like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mohammed Siraj, but the most noticeable absence was Shreyas Iyer. Amid the torrential rains in Mumbai, the selectors faced heat in the BCCI headquarters for leaving out Iyer.
The selectors failed to explain the reason behind Iyer's omission, and the only explanation Agarkar-led committee could come up with was this statement: "Again, no fault of his. Got to tell me who he can replace? At the moment, will have to wait for his chance," Agarkar said at the press conference."
A Question of Timing and Trust
Shreyas Iyer has had his share of differences with the board in the last few years, but bounced back by shining in the domestic circuit. The right-handed batter proved his mettle in red-ball cricket and also displayed his batting prowess during IPL 2025, where he amassed 604 runs in 17 matches, averaging 50.33.
His omission from the Asia Cup squad sparked wide debate, not merely because of his statistics but because of what he represents—a player who fought back from injuries, returned to captain his IPL side with character, and still finds himself sidelined at the biggest stage. Further, despite working tirelessly on rehab and easing himself into domestic and IPL cricket, his comeback seems to have been met with impatience from national selectors.
The stable core in T20I set-up might have cost Iyer's chance to feature in Asia Cup, but his IPL performance certainly deserved a place in the stand-by list, which failed to mention the PBKS captain.
IPL Performance A Criteria For Partial Selection
Today's selection has raised several questions about the selectors' parameters to select a player for the squad. On one front, the committee emphasises the importance of IPL, which saw the likes of Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Abhishek Sharma make their India debut in 2024 because of heroics in the cash-studded league.
On the other hand, the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Sai Sudharsan, who are constantly proving their worth, are being left out of the team without proper justification.
Harshit Rana has featured in just a solitary T20I, but is a part of India's Asia Cup squad, because the right-arm seamer proved his mettle during IPL 2024 and 2025 for the Knight Riders.
Iyer, A Victim Of Double Standards
Another example of double standards when it comes to Shreyas Iyer is Jitesh Sharma's inclusion.
The RCB star played nine T20Is for India, but his last appearance was in January 2024, a few months later than Iyer's last T20I game. Nonetheless, the selectors thought of Jitesh's inclusion as a suitable finisher because the 31-year-old amassed 261 runs in 11 innings in IPL 2025, guiding RCB to their maiden title win.
While the selectors were busy justifying Jitesh's India selection, based on his IPL heroics, they forgot that the man they are leaving out also took his team to the final, but couldn't land the trophy for his franchise.
PBKS Captaincy: Leadership Beyond Numbers
In IPL 2025, Iyer’s appointment as PBKS captain raised expectations for a side struggling for stability. His leadership was marked by courage: moving players strategically, shielding youngsters from pressure situations, and himself stepping into tricky chases when it mattered most. While PBKS did not finish among the top contenders, Iyer’s captaincy brought renewed belief to a team often criticized for lacking a core identity.
The question then arises: if a player can inspire, grind, and lead a group of cricketers in franchise cricket under extreme criticism, does he not deserve the confidence of national selectors for a marquee continental tournament like the Asia Cup?
In a nutshell, in the recent IPL, Iyer auditioned for every situation, where he chased tricky targets, showed his power-hitting game, guided the youngsters and despite the best audition, failed to get a place.
Repeated Snubs; Why Justice Matters
Justice here doesn’t necessarily mean guaranteed selection—it means fair recognition. If performance, fitness clearance, and leadership credentials were truly considered, Shreyas Iyer should have been part of the Asia Cup squad. His experience in handling slow tracks and his maturity in high-pressure games could have been invaluable. More importantly, leaving him out without transparent reasoning risks damaging the morale of not just Iyer but also every hardworking player fighting to return from setbacks.
Cricket is as much about loyalty and faith as it is about form and fitness. By omitting Shreyas Iyer, selectors may have overlooked a player whose presence could balance the middle order and nurture younger talents off the field. For PBKS fans and for those who have followed his career arc, this feels like more than just a selection call—it feels like justice denied to a fighter who deserved, at the very least, to be on the bench.
