“I don’t know what else he has to do” - Star batter’s father expresses frustration over India’s 2025 Asia Cup squad 

Mumbai batter Shreyas Iyer’s father, Santosh Iyer, has voiced his disappointment over his son’s exclusion from India’s 2025 Asia Cup squad. The BCCI announced the 20-member contingent, including reserves, on Tuesday, August 19, with Iyer left out despite his strong form.

Leading the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the IPL 2025 final, Iyer amassed 604 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07, registering six half-centuries. Yet, the 30-year-old batter was overlooked for the Asia Cup.

Reacting to the decision, Santosh Iyer expressed his frustration, saying he doesn’t know what more his son needs to do to earn a place in the T20 side. Speaking to The Times of India, he said:

"I don’t know what else Shreyas has to do to make it to the Indian T20 team. He has been performing so well in the IPL year after year, from Delhi Capitals to Kolkata Knight Riders to Punjab Kings, and that too as a captain. He even captained KKR to the IPL title in 2024, and led PBKS to the final this year. I’m not saying make him the Indian captain, but at least select him in the team.”

“However, let me tell you that even if he’s left out of the Indian team, he doesn’t show dissent on his face. He’ll just say: ‘Mera naseeb hai (it’s my luck)! You can’t do anything now.’ He’s always cool and calm. He doesn’t blame anybody. Deep inside, he must be naturally disappointed,” he added.

Iyer’s most recent outing in the format came against Australia in 2023, where he smashed 53 runs off 37 balls.

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“Communication is the key from selectors” - Ajinkya Rahane reacts to Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from India’s 2025 Asia Cup squad

Veteran Mumbai batter Ajinkya Rahane has also weighed in on Shreyas Iyer’s omission from India’s 2025 Asia Cup squad amid the ongoing debate. On Thursday, August 21, in a YouTube video (@ajinkyarahane88), he said:

“I'm sure he (Shreyas Iyer) must be really disappointed considering the kind of IPL he had. It was a fantastic season. Even in domestic cricket, especially in the 50-over format, he has performed really well whenever given opportunities. I can completely understand the team management’s point of view, since they can only pick 15 players and need to see the balance of the team.”

“The only thing I want to see and I want to know is proper communication from selectors and team management with Shreyas. He's an important member of the team and I'm sure in the coming years or in the future he's going to be part of the T20 format as well. So communication is the key from the selectors to Shreyas Iyer,” Rahane added.

The 2025 Asia Cup is scheduled to begin on September 9, with Men in Blue placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Oman, and hosts the United Arab Emirates (UAE).