Ajit Agarkar distances himself from Shreyas Iyer’s omission from Asia Cup squad: ‘No fault of his, nor is it ours’

Shreyas Iyer last played a T20I in December 2023, where he also scored a fine half-century in India's win over Australia.

BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Tuesday unveiled the 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025. One of the major talking points was the omission of Shreyas Iyer, despite his blistering run of form in IPL 2025, where he not only piled on runs but also guided Punjab Kings to the final. The selection committee went ahead with Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube, alongside skipper Suryakumar Yadav, in the middle order, meaning that Shreyas had to miss out.

Ajit Agarkar reacted to Shreyas Iyer's omission from the Asia Cup 2025 squad.

Shreyas last played a T20I in December 2023, where he also scored a fine half-century in India's win over Australia. He had missed out on the 2024 T20 World Cup squad despite leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title that year. Chief selector Agarkar offered a clear explanation for Iyer's omission, stressing that neither he nor the panel was at fault. He said the committee opted for a combination they felt best suited the tournament's demands.

"With regards to Shreyas, I mean, you need to tell him who he can replace. No fault of his, nor is it ours. It's just that we have to pick 15 at the moment, he'll have to wait for his chance," Agarkar said in the press conference.

Shreyas Iyer has to wait for his chance despite an incredible IPL 2025

Earlier this year, Iyer returned to the ODI side during the England series and went on to play a pivotal role in India's Champions Trophy triumph. He emerged as the team's leading run-scorer and the tournament's second-highest overall, amassing 243 runs in five innings at an average of 48.60, which included two half-centuries.

Shreyas continued his sublime form in the IPL too, where he ended up as the sixth-highest run-getter and had his best season. The Punjab Kings skipper amassed 604 runs in 17 matches and innings at an average of 50.33, a strike rate of 175.07 and six fifties. He played a massive role in taking PBKS to their first IPL final since 2014, but the team fell short by six runs to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

The Asia Cup is scheduled to take place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from September 9 to 28. India will open their campaign against hosts UAE on September 10 in Dubai, before facing arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14 at the same venue. Their last group-stage match will be against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.