Follow UsThe flamboyant batter from Mumbai, Shreyas Iyer, has voiced his disappointment after being left out of India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025, set to begin on September 9 in the UAE.
Iyer hasn’t featured in a T20I since early 2024, but his recent form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) made his omission a hot topic of debate. Over the last two seasons, he has been in scintillating touch - leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their first title in a decade in 2024 and then guiding Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the 2025 final, where they narrowly fell short against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
The numbers strengthen his case even further. Across the last two IPL editions, Iyer has hammered 955 runs in 31 innings at an average of 45.48 and an explosive strike rate of 163.5.
At the international level, Iyer has already featured in 51 T20Is, amassing 1104 runs at 30.66 with a strike rate of 136.12. But his batting in recent years has reached a new peak, making his absence from the Asia Cup squad one of the most hotly discussed calls ahead of the tournament.
Speaking on the iQOOO podcast, Iyer admitted to feeling frustrated: "It is only frustrating when you know that you deserve to be in the team, in the playing XI. That time, it is frustrating.
"But at the same time, when you know that someone is performing and playing consistently for the team and bringing (out) their best, you support them. Eventually, the goal is for the team to win and when the team is winning, everyone is happy.
"But as I keep talking about integrity, if you don’t get a chance, you have to see to it that you do your work ethically. It’s not like you have to perform only when someone is watching. Even when no one is watching, you have to keep doing your work. That’s integrity.”
Despite missing out on the Asia Cup and the recent five-match Test series in England, Iyer has been handed a leadership role - named captain of India A for the upcoming two-match multi-day series against Australia A. A red-ball comeback looks increasingly likely, given his excellent domestic run: 480 runs in his last seven Ranji Trophy innings at an average of 68.57 and a strike rate of 90.2.
His last Test appearance came in February 2024, but with India set to host West Indies and South Africa for two-Test series each in October and November, Iyer could well be back in the whites sooner rather than later.
Sharing his mindset, Iyer said: "As we keep saying, you have to trust your preparations. When you prepare yourself in a certain manner, whatever happens on the ground is just a reflection of what you do off the field.
"You cross the t’s, dot the i’s, (if) your preparation is on point then everything is just a reflection. It (failure) can happen only once or twice, not more than that. If your prep is good (and) if you don’t perform in one or two games, (in the) third game you are definitely going to perform. That I have experienced.”