Former India batter Robin Uthappa has expressed surprise at Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from India’s 15-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, arguing that the Kolkata Knight Riders captain still deserves a place in the national T20I setup, particularly with the T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon.
India’s squad for the Asia Cup saw Shubman Gill make his return to the shortest format after more than a year, while also being reappointed as vice-captain. Iyer, however, was left out despite building a strong case through his consistency in the Indian Premier League. He last featured for India in T20Is during the 2023 series against Australia and has not been considered since, even after delivering back-to-back standout IPL seasons.
Iyer guided Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title in 2024 and took Punjab Kings to their first final in over a decade earlier this year, scoring heavily across both campaigns. His leadership and batting form had made many believe he would be in contention for India’s T20I plans again, but the selectors chose otherwise.
Taking to social media, Uthappa questioned the call, noting that India still have plenty of T20Is left before the next World Cup in 2026.
“There are around 18 T20Is to go before India play the next #T20WC; not having #ShreyasIyer who was integral in helping you win the CT seems strange. But one can only hope that he gets into this side soon coz he deserves it! I hope they have communicated to him about his exclusion,” Uthappa posted.
Looking ahead, India have a packed T20I calendar with series lined up against Australia, England, and South Africa before the 2026 T20 World Cup. Yet for Iyer, the wait to don India’s T20I colors continues. His last outing in the format came back in December 2023 when he struck a half-century against Australia, but he has since been overlooked for the Asia Cup, even with his consistent domestic form and leadership credentials.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed Iyer’s absence at the squad announcement, stating that the decision was purely a matter of balance.
“With regards to Shreyas, there’s no fault of his—nor is it ours,” Agarkar said. “We can only pick 15, and at the moment, he might have to wait for his chance.”
While Agarkar also explained that Abhishek Sharma’s all-round abilities gave him the nod ahead of Yashasvi Jaiswal, he did not offer a specific reason for Iyer’s omission
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