Abhishek Nayar slammed Shreyas Iyer’s Asia Cup 2025 snub, questioning the selectors despite Iyer’s strong IPL 2025, England ODI, and Champions Trophy 2025 performances, and wondered if personal biases kept him out of the reserves.
Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar expressed his disbelief over the BCCI selectors’ decision to exclude Shreyas Iyer from the 15-member India squad for the Asia Cup 2025 on Tuesday, August 19th. The chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav held a press conference to officially unveil the squad for the eight-team continental tournament, which will take place on September 9.
Shreyas Iyer was reportedly in contention for the 15th spot alongside Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, and Riyan Parag, as 14 players have already been finalised. Iyer was a strong favourite to make it to the squad, given his impressive form in IPL 2025, the ODI series against England, and the Champions Trophy 2025.
However, the Punjab Kings skipper was surprisingly left out of his selection for the India squad, and the selectors picked Rinku Singh, despite his shaky season in IPL 2025, amassing 206 runs at an average of 29.43 and a strike rate of 153.43 in 13 matches. The Agarkar-led selection committee’s decision to omit Shreyas Iyer became a huge topic of debate, with Abhishek Nayar mincing no words to question the board’s call.
‘How is he not among the reserve players?’
After the squad announcement and press conference, Abhishek Nayar questioned the chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, about Shreyas Iyer’s omission from the squad, while expressing his disbelief at his name being missed in the reserves, where Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, and Prasidh Krishna were included.
“I don’t know, actually. I wanted to ask the question (to Ajit Agarkar), how come he’s not in your reserve players? If it’s true that he is such a strong contender.) Sometimes, I mean, you know, selection meetings can be quite interesting, and the discussion that happens in a selection meeting can be very interesting,” Nayar said on Star Sports
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Shreyas Iyer made his comeback to international cricket for the ODI series against England, where he had a great run of form, amassing 181 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 60.33 and an impressive strike rate of 123.13 in three matches. He carried his form into India’s Champions Trophy campaign and emerged as the Men in Blue’s highest run-getter with 181 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 60.33 and an impressive strike rate of 123.13 in three matches.
Nayar makes a massive claim on Iyer’s future in T20Is
Further speaking about Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the India Asia Cup squad, Abhishek Nayar stated that his omission from the 15-member squad sends a clear message from the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar. He also made a bold statement that Iyer is not liked by the selectors as much as others.
“But I can’t fathom, and I don’t understand what reason can justify Shreyas Iyer not being part of that 20-member squad. I’m not going for 15, I’m going for that 20-member squad, which sort of tells and sends the message to Shreyas Iyer that you are not in a 20-man scheme of things, because even if things don’t work out, you are not coming in the team. Either Riyan Parag is going to make the cut, or someone else is,” the former India assistant said.
“The big question here is whether they are looking at him from a T20 point of view. I always say this, selection, after a while, becomes about who you like a little more than the other. Maybe Shreyas Iyer is not as liked as someone else is,” he added.
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Shreyas Iyer had a great IPL 2025, showcasing his brilliance as he amassed 604 runs, including six fifties, at an average of 50.33 in 17 matches. As a captain, the 30-year-old led Punjab Kings to their first ever final in 11 years, but failed to get hold of the trophy after losing to first-time champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.