Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Subramaniam Badrinath slammed chief selector Ajit Agarkar's reasoning behind Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from the 2025 Asia Cup squad. Agarkar announced India's 15-member squad for the continental tournament on Tuesday, August 19.When asked about Iyer's omission, he said (via The Hindu):"With regards to Shreyas, 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."The 30-year-old has been in breathtaking form over the past year, scoring 604 runs at an average of over 50 in the 2025 IPL. Iyer also led Punjab Kings (PBKS) to a runners-up finish after captaining Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title last year.Talking about Agarkar's comments on Iyer's exclusion, Badrinath said on his YouTube channel (5:28):"He definitely deserved to get selected. Ajit Agarkar said he was unlucky but that's just a convenient route. Iyer has produced excellent numbers over the last two years and done brilliantly as a captain as well. Instead, they picked Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh for the No. 5 position. Last one year, both have done virtually nothing, with poor numbers."He added:"This is not even a 50-50 decision. Shreyas Iyer should have definitely got a look in. One can say he has batted at No. 3 for his IPL side. But he can easily play at No. 5 for India being an excellent player of spin and a great finisher."Iyer has played 51 T20Is for India, averaging over 30 at a strike rate of 136.12, including eight half-centuries."His experience and leadership is much needed in the team" - S Badrinath on Shreyas Iyer's importanceSubramaniam Badrinath believes Shreyas Iyer should have been included more than ever now, considering the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The legendary duo retired from T20Is after the 2024 World Cup, which was held in the West Indies and the USA."Especially now without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, his (Iyer) experience and leadership is much needed in the team. More than unlucky, this feels like a likeability factor playing a role in selection," said Badrinath.Iyer last played a T20I for India in the home series against Australia at the end of the 2023 season. However, he has been a regular in the middle order of the Indian ODI side.