The story of Shreyas Iyer in Indian cricket over the past few years has been one of constantly proving people wrong. It all started with the short-ball theory, which Shreyas emphatically pushed aside—both with his words and with the bat—during the ODI World Cup 2023. While Virat Kohli, the run machine, and Rohit Sharma’s selfless approach won all the plaudits, the Mumbai batter quietly went about his work and scored 530 runs in 11 matches.

Then came another setback when he found himself out of the Indian team setup during the England Test series. Iyer responded by leading KKR to the IPL title in 2024. But once again, he was pushed to the margins when Kolkata didn’t retain him, forcing him to prove his credentials yet again.

The Champions Trophy arrived, and Shreyas was India’s highest run-getter with 243 runs in five matches. This performance was recently highlighted by Aakash Chopra, who said that Shreyas was the man taking the fight to the opposition and releasing pressure.

“Shreyas Iyer needs to be spoken about because when we were watching the Champions Trophy, no Indian player was better than him in the middle overs. He was the guy who was taking the attack to the opposition. He was the guy who was hitting boundaries whenever he wished, and removing the pressure on the batter at the other end,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy further showcased Shreyas’ ability to go big in the shortest format of the game, as he scored 345 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 188.52.

But the highlight of his redemption arc was the IPL 2025 season. Often considered not tailor-made for T20 cricket, the Mumbai batter led PBKS from the front with a more aggressive approach.

In 17 matches, Shreyas scored 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07, with six fifties to his name. While PBKS didn’t win the title, Iyer had plenty to be proud of, proving that he could be destructive in the shortest format.

Chopra argued that if the IPL is the yardstick for selection to the Indian T20I side, then Shreyas has to be in the Asia Cup squad.

“There were plenty of pressures. This was Shreyas Iyer’s best-ever IPL season. We have repeatedly seen that T20 selections are based on IPL performances. We have seen that with Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and everyone. If we see it from that token, Shreyas Iyer deserves to play,” said Chopra.

Now, as reports emerge with mixed signals about his selection, the debate continues: should Shreyas be on the flight to the UAE?

SHREYAS’S PROWESS AGAINST SPIN

India’s recent approach in T20Is has been to go all guns blazing. The team scored the second-highest T20I total against Bangladesh last year and secured series wins against South Africa and England by batting the opposition out of the game.

The Asia Cup will be held in the UAE, where pitches are traditionally slower and aid spinners. This is where Shreyas shines.

During IPL 2025, he scored 171 runs in the middle overs against spin at an average of 85.5 and a strike rate of 154.05. His main competition for a spot in the playing XI is Tilak Varma, who struggled for consistency in IPL 2025 and found it tough against spin.

Tilak managed 246 runs in the middle overs at a strike rate of 131.55, which dropped to 121.84 against spin.

SHREYAS THE FINISHER

One of the biggest positives for Shreyas in IPL 2025 was his ability to finish games and guide chases. At Chepauk against CSK, he scored 72 off 41 balls to lead PBKS to a memorable win.

Then, in the high-pressure Qualifier 2, Shreyas smashed 87* to knock out MI and take PBKS to the final. On both occasions, the Mumbai batter showed he could control a run chase and thrive under pressure.

That calmness and ability to accelerate will be crucial in the UAE, where he could fit perfectly into India’s middle order.

With Suryakumar Yadav sealing the No. 4 spot, the real battle is for No. 3. While Tilak Varma has his merits, Shreyas Iyer has built a strong case to be included in the Asia Cup squad—if not in the starting XI, then certainly in the squad.

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