Despite Excellent Form, Iyer Misses Asia Cup; Former Players Allege Nepotism

Shreyas Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the 2024 IPL title, has found himself overlooked for the Indian squad for the Asia Cup. Reports suggest that the franchise did not give him the recognition he deserved. Following this, Iyer won the domestic Mustaq Ali Trophy and took Punjab Kings to the IPL final in the new season. Despite scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 175, Iyer was excluded from India’s 15-member Asia Cup squad.

Yesterday (Tuesday), India announced its 15-member Asia Cup squad, with Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal among the notable omissions. Jaiswal was included on the standby list, but even there, Iyer’s name was absent. Indian selector Ajit Agarkar offered limited explanation for Iyer’s exclusion: “It is not Shreyas’ fault that he didn’t get a chance, nor is it ours. Only 15 players can be selected. There was no room for more. Whose place could he have taken?”

Both Iyer and Jaiswal performed strongly in the last IPL season, with Jaiswal scoring 559 runs in 14 matches at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 159.7. However, competition among openers saw Jaiswal miss out. Agarkar explained: “It is unfortunate that Yashasvi is not in the squad. Ignoring his debut performances was tough. We know his T20 capabilities, and he can bowl as well, giving the captain an extra option. Only one of the two could be accommodated.”

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin described Iyer’s omission as “sad and unfair” on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat: “What more could a player like Shreyas Iyer have done? He returned to the team and won the Champions Trophy, guided KKR to victory, and took Punjab to the final. He has overcome weaknesses like the short ball and played Rabada and Bumrah with ease. I am extremely disappointed. This is completely unfair to Shreyas and Yashasvi.”

Since India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory, Iyer has played 26 T20 internationals, scoring 949 runs at nearly 50 with a strike rate of 179.73, including seven fifties and a century. His Asia Cup omission disappointed Irfan Pathan, who wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account: “I have no doubt that Shreyas Iyer is absent not only from the T20 team but also from the leadership group. Patience is his main weapon at this moment.”

Meanwhile, former assistant coach Abhishek Nayar raised allegations of nepotism: “I want to know—how is he not even on the reserve list when he was considered a strong contender? Sometimes, the selectors’ meetings and discussions seem amusing. I cannot understand how Iyer has no place in the 20-player list. Perhaps he is being judged differently from a T20 perspective, or maybe he is slightly less preferred than others.”