Asia Cup | ‘Shreyas Iyer is not liked as much as … ‘: Ex-India coach blasts Gautam Gambhir and selector Ajit Agarkar – WATCH | Cricket News

Shreyas Iyer (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s cricket selectors sprung a shock by leaving out Shreyas Iyer from each the 15-member Asia Cup squad and the 5 standby gamers, regardless of his sturdy showings within the Champions Trophy and IPL 2025. The announcement was made by BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav on Tuesday.Iyer loved a wonderful IPL season, guiding Punjab Kings to the ultimate whereas amassing 604 runs in 17 matches at a strike fee of 175.07. He completed as the sixth-highest run-scorer of the event.Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar voiced his disappointment at Iyer’s exclusion.“I don’t know, actually, I wanted to ask that question — aapke reserve players mein kaise nahi hai woh, if he is such a strong contender. Sometimes, you know, selection meetings can be quite interesting, and the discussions that happen in them can be very interesting,” Nayar stated on Star Sports.“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 even talking about the 15, I’m talking about the 20-member squad, which sends a message to Shreyas Iyer that he is not in the team’s scheme of things. Because even if things don’t work out, he is still not coming into the team. Either Riyan Parag is going to make the cut, or someone else is,” he added.“So, the big question here is that maybe they are not looking at him from a T20 point of view — or perhaps any other point of view. But I always say this that any selection after a while is, ‘who you like a little more than the other’. In that regard, maybe Shreyas Iyer is not liked as much as someone else. Maybe.”Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, in the meantime, addressed the calls concerning Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal.“With regards to Shreyas, there’s no fault of his — nor is it ours. It’s just that we can only pick 15, and at the moment, he might have to wait for his chance,” Agarkar defined.“With regards to Yashasvi Jaiswal, it’s just unfortunate again. Abhishek Sharma, with what he has done over the last few months — or a year or so that he has been with the team — plus the fact that he can bowl a little, gives us an option if required by the captain. One of these guys was always going to miss out. It’s just unfortunate that Yashasvi might have to wait for his chance.”