New Delhi: Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Tuesday expressed disappointment over Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Asia Cup squad, terming it “sad” and “unfair” while also questioning the logic behind leaving out opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The BCCI has named a 15-member India squad for the continental tournament beginning September 9 in the UAE.
“Selection is a thankless job. You have to let someone out. When you talk to them, you have to go through that sadness and disappointment in their faces. I hope someone has talked to Shreyas and Jaiswal,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat.
What raised further eyebrows was the fact that Shreyas didn’t even make it to the five-man reserve list, which includes Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prasidh Krishna, and Washington Sundar. Of late, Shreyas has emerged as a beast in T20S, scoring runs for fun in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the IPL.
Earlier this year, Shreyas Iyer took Punjab Kings to the IPL final for the first time since 2014. With the bat, the right-hander scored more than 600 runs. Even in 2024, Shreyas had led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title win.
Shreyas was in fine form in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, helping India win the tournament. In the slow and turning conditions of Dubai, Shreyas emerged as a vital cog in the middle-order, helping the team force the pace in the middle overs.
Ashwin said that he sympathises with Shreyas Iyer as there is nothing more he could have done to warrant a place in the squad for the Asia Cup.
