Shreyas Iyer was one of the most startling names left out of India’s roster for the 2025 Asia Cup. Ajit Agarkar, the BCCI’s top selector, stated after the selection was announced that the Mumbai batter was unfortunate not to make the 15-man roster. Agarkar further claimed that Shreyas was not at blame. Surprisingly, the Punjab Kings captain did not make the cut for the five reserve players.
Sanjay Manjrekar, a former India batter, was surprised that Shreyas was not selected for the team. The senior analyst accused the selectors of selecting players for one format based on their previous performance in other formats.
“It’s something that I’ve seen over the years, not recently, this tendency of selectors to pick a player on performances of one format, where that person is accepted and picking him for another format. When I see a player getting rewarded for his Test match performances by a player in the T20 side, I just find that devoid of cricketing logic. It just doesn’t make any sense,” said Manjrekar in a video shared on his Instagram story.
Manjrekar pointed out how Shreyas proved his credentials during the home series against England earlier this year and the subsequent Indian Premier League.
“Shreyas not making this T20 squad of India for the Asia Cup is just shocking. Because this is a guy who was left out of the Indian game for the right reason, because they felt he wasn’t committing himself as a master of domestic cricket. But it had the desired effect on Shreyas Iyer. When he came back against England at home in a one-day series, and the way he batted, you could see that he was just batting like he’s never batted before. Didn’t put a foot wrong in that comeback series. And then carried that form into IPL cricket,” said Manjrekar.
I think Shreyas Iyerhas been seriously wronged by the selectors: Manjrekar
Manjrekar mentioned Shreyas’ impressive stats from IPL 2025, where he led Punjab Kings to their first final in 11 years. The 30-year-old led from the front, smashing 604 runs in 17 innings at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07.
“I don’t think any batter has had that kind of form right through the IPL season. What with an average of over 50, a strike rate of over 170, plus being the game-changer in the side with the bat. And he gets rewarded with non-selection. So when you do that to a player who’s put in one of the best performances ever in the last few months in a format for which the Indian team is getting selected, and you leave it out of the format. Perhaps for a guy who has excelled in a completely different format, Test cricket. Pick a guy who’s done well in Test cricket,” said Manjrekar.
Manjrekar claimed that squad selections haven’t been great of late and felt that Shreyas was wronged by the selectors.
“And not just because somebody has done so well in Test cricket, gets rewarded with a T20 place, especially at the cost of somebody like Shreyas Iyer. I think the selection these days of the squad and the playing 11 in Indian cricket hasn’t been great. It’s just amazing, despite the fact that India played so well in England, and there is a great possibility they might do so again in this Asia Cup. But what is wrong is wrong. And I think Iyer has been seriously wronged by the selectors,” said Manjrekar.
Suryakumar Yadav-led India are the defending champions. They are placed in Group A alongside the UAE, Oman, and Pakistan. The Men in Blue kick-start their campaign in the Asia Cup 2025 on September 10 against the UAE in Dubai.
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