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Shreyas Iyer of India plays a shot during the 3rd T20I between India and South Africa held at the Dr. Y.S.R. ACA VDCA Cricket Stadium on the 14th June 2022. (Sportzpics)
India on Tuesday announced their Asia Cup squad but a lot of chatter coming out of the press conference was about Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion. The batter who hasn’t been part of the India T20I setup since December 2023 in the Australia series, has been in inspired form in the last two editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He had led Kolkata Knight Riders to their third trophy in 2024 before switching over to Punjab Kings who he guided to the final in 2025.
“It’s unfortunate that Shreyas Iyer misses out. It’s no fault of his, neither ours. He has to wait for his chance,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said. “We have got some serious options in T20 squad…sometimes not the easiest squad to pick but good headache to have,” he added. Along with the main squad of 15, the selectors also named 5 players as standbys but Iyer’s name wasn’t in that list as well.
However, Agarkar said that this was not the final team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.
Iyer walloped over 600 runs for the first time in an IPL season in 2025, with his 175.07 strike rate ranking the best among all batters. He also clobbered 39 sixes as Punjab finished runners-up under his leadership. For India in 51 T20Is, the Mumbaikar has recorded 1104 runs, averaging 30.66.
Another player who missed out of the Asia Cup team was Yashasvi Jaiswal but he was among the 5 standbys. “It’s unfortunate Jaiswal has had to miss out but he will have to wait,” Agarkar said.
Shubman Gill was appointed as the vice-captain, while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was also included in India’s 15-member T20 squad for the Asia Cup starting September 9 in the UAE.
Gill’s last T20 match was against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2024 and he has now replaced Axar Patel as the deputy of skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
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“Gill’s form in England was something we expected but he exceeded it all,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said during the squad announcement press conference here.
There were some lingering doubts on Bumrah’s availability largely due to the proximity to the home Test series against the West Indies in October. But the selectors opted to pick and this will be Bumrah’s first T20 tournament since last year’s World Cup. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav too has been drafted in, while Jitesh Sharma will be the back-up wicketkeeper batter.
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