Shreyas Iyer breaks silence on Asia Cup 2025 snub, terms it 'frustrating'

Performing consistently well across formats and tournaments is the best way for a player to secure a spot in the national squad, but the selection process is often influenced by many other factors. India’s strong bench strength has a history of seeing deserving players lose opportunities to other skilled prospects. Some of these decisions, unsurprisingly, spark heated debates. Shreyas Iyer became the most talked-about name after the BCCI announced the 15-member India squad for Asia Cup 2025. Ironically, Iyer was in the spotlight not because he had finally earned a place in the India T20I squad, but because he missed out yet again despite delivering his best performances.

"It's frustrating when you know you deserve to be in the team," says Shreyas Iyer on Asia Cup snub

Losing the BCCI contract early in 2024 set Shreyas Iyer on a path of rectification, and the Mumbai batter scripted an impressive comeback. Missing out on the contract for ignoring the board's mandate to play domestic cricket, Iyer quickly corrected his approach. The 30-year-old returned to the Mumbai squad, showcasing brilliant knocks across formats in the domestic cycle. The phase, meanwhile, saw Iyer lead Kolkata Knight Riders to their IPL title, as the franchise won IPL 2024.

Amid title-winning stints for Mumbai at the Irani Cup and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in the 2024-25 cycle, Iyer shifted base from KKR to PBKS ahead of IPL 2025. The IPL-winning captain spearheaded Punjab's campaign, taking the team to their first playoffs in over a decade. Scoring over 600 runs in the recently concluded season, Iyer guided his team to the final but narrowly missed out on winning consecutive titles. Moreover, the Indian cricket schedule also saw Iyer starring in India's campaign at the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai.

However, despite shining performances across the tournaments, Shreyas Iyer was ignored for Asia Cup 2025. The BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, announced a 15-member India squad for the T20I tournament. The group saw Shubman Gill return after a year, claiming the vice-captaincy of the squad. However, unlike Agarkar finding a spot for Gill in the well-set combination, the chief selector could not fit Shreyas Iyer into the equation.

Iyer's omission caused significant debate, with the BCCI and Agarkar coming under fire. As far as his part is concerned, Shreyas Iyer has left no stone unturned. Yet, the Mumbai batsman keeps falling under the radar. After Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their Test retirements, the BCCI extended a call-up to Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan in the Test squad for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, while Iyer was kept waiting. A change of formats did not alter Iyer's fate, as the same scenario repeated for Asia Cup 2025.

Now, as the India squad inches closer to kicking off their Asia Cup campaign in the UAE, Shreyas Iyer has finally opened up about the snub. The middle-order batter termed it frustrating to miss out on selection when you know you deserved a spot in the Playing XI. However, the PBKS skipper noted that, irrespective of who misses out, one supports the team.

"It is only frustrating when you know that you deserve to be in the team, in the playing XI. That time, it is frustrating," Iyer said. "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," he added.