Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has raised questions about Ajit Agarkar‘s decision to leave Shreyas Iyer out of the Asia Cup squad. Ashwin expressed disappointment on his YouTube channel, calling the selection process unfair to Iyer, who has been in exceptional form recently. The Indian selectors named the 15-member Asia Cup squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, with Shubman Gill as his deputy. However, the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer, along with the fact that he wasn’t even included in the reserve list, has caused uproar among fans and experts alike.
Shreyas Iyer’s absence from the squad has raised eyebrows, especially given his recent performances for India and his role in leading Punjab Kings to the IPL final and Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title. Iyer’s strong performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the IPL show that he’s in great form, which makes his exclusion from the Asia Cup squad even more perplexing.
Ashwin Questions the Decision and Supports Shreyas Iyer
Ashwin defended Iyer, highlighting his remarkable contributions, including his match-winning performances in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, where he played a pivotal role in India’s victory. “Shreyas Iyer has solid credentials. He made you win the Champions Trophy. If Shubman Gill is in great form, Shreyas is also in fine form,” Ashwin pointed out.
Iyer has proved himself as a reliable middle-order batter, and Ashwin found it “extremely unfair” that Iyer was overlooked, especially considering his ability to overcome challenges like the short-ball issue in the IPL. “I am just extremely sad for him and Yashasvi Jaiswal. It is extremely unfair,” said Ashwin.
Despite Ashwin’s criticism, Ajit Agarkar defended the decision, explaining that Iyer’s exclusion was due to team balance. “With regards to Shreyas, you need to tell him who he can replace. There’s no fault of his; it’s just that we have to pick 15,” Agarkar said. He acknowledged Iyer’s good form but stated that the team management had to make difficult choices for the squad.
Stay tuned for all the Cricket News, Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, and Cricket updates!
