'Maybe Shreyas Isn't Liked As Someone Else Is'

'I want to ask Agarkar how Iyer is not among the reserve players if he is such a strong contender.'

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar is surprised by the selection committee's decision to omit Shreyas Iyer from the Asia Cup squad.

Shreyas is not even among the reserves, and Nayar suggests that exclusion could be because he might not be liked by other players in the squad.

The squad was announced on Tuesday at a press conference attended by T20I Skipper Suryakumar and Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, which was held after a selection meeting which also featured Board of Control for Cricket in India Secretary Devajit Saikia.

'I wanted to ask him (Agarkar) how he (Iyer) is not among the reserve players if he is such a strong contender,' Nayar told Star Sports.

'Sometimes the selection meetings and the discussions that happen can be quite interesting, but I can't fathom, I can't understand,' Nayar, who worked with Shreyas at Kolkata Knight Riders during a couple of IPL seasons, added.

'It sort of tells and sends a message to Shreyas Iyer that you aren't in our 20-man scheme of things because even if things do not work out, you aren't going to be in the team.'

'Either Riyan Parag will come or someone else. The big question here is whether they are looking at him from a T20 point of view. I always say this, selection, after a while, becomes about who you like a little more than the other,' Nayar added.

'Maybe Shreyas Iyer isn't as liked as someone else is.'

Shreyas has scored 1,104 runs in 47 T20Is at an average of 30.66 and a strike rate of 136.12. He last played a T20I against Australia at Bengaluru in December 2023.

The Mumbai batter was the sixth highest run-getter in IPL 2025 and had his best season, scoring 604 runs in 17 matches and innings at an average of 50.33, strike rate of 175.07 and six fifties. His best score was an unbeaten 97.

Despite a wonderful IPL season, and being tipped as India's No. 3 in the shortest format, Shreyas missed out on a spot in the squad.

Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar stated that Shreyas has to wait for his chance despite a phenomenal year in white-ball cricket.

'With regards to Shreyas Iyer, who can he replace? It's not his fault nor is it ours. It's just that you can pick 15 and at the moment you'll have to wait for his chance,' Agarkar told the media on Tuesday.

Shreyas also led Mumbai to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph in the 2024-2025 season when Mumbai defeated Madhya Pradesh in the final.