Sanjay Manjrekar blasts Ajit Agarkar for 'seriously wronging' Shreyas Iyer to accommodate Shubman Gill: 'Makes no sense'

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar fully sympathises with Shreyas Iyer after the right-handed Mumbai batter was left out of the Asia Cup squad. Iyer, 30, has been in fine form in white-ball formats of late. If his Champions Trophy exploits weren't enough, the batter showed his big-hitting skill in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Punjab Kings, leading the franchise to their first-ever final in 11 years. Iyer smashed more than 600 runs for the team at a strike rate of more than 170. Shreyas Iyer scored more than 600 runs for Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 season. (AP)

Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar stated that Iyer has done no wrong; however, he was quick to say that even he and the rest of the selection committee did no wrong as they were spoilt for choices when it came to the Asia Cup.

However, Manjrekar isn't buying this argument as he minced no words in calling out Shubman Gill's inclusion in the Asia Cup squad on the basis of his recent performances in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, where he scored 754 runs in the five-match Test series against England.

The former India batter believes it is just not done that the selectors are rewarding players for their Test performances when picking the squad for T20s.

“It's something that I've seen over the years, not recently, this tendency of selectors to pick a player on performances of one format, where that person is accepted and picking him for another format. When I see a player getting rewarded for his Test match performances by a player in the T20 side, I just find that devoid of cricketing logic. It just doesn't make any sense,” Manjrekar said in a video posted on Instagram.

Also Read: 'No discussion about Shreyas Iyer for ODI captaincy': BCCI busts myth to HT; Shubman Gill first choice to replace Rohit

“Shreyas not making this T20 squad of India for the Asia Cup is just shocking. Because this is a guy who was left out of the Indian game for the right reason, because they felt he wasn't committing himself as a master of domestic cricket. But it had the desired effect on Shreyas Iyer. When he came back against England at home in a one-day series, and the way he batted, you could see that he was just batting like he's never batted before. Didn't put a foot wrong in that comeback series. And then carried that form into IPL cricket,” he added.

‘Iyer seriously wronged’

When Agarkar announced the Asia Cup squad, he stated that Gill was the vice-captain in T20s when India toured Sri Lanka in July 2024. Hence, the management has maintained the status quo now that the 25-year-old is back available for T20S.

However, Manjrekar believes Gill's selection is not done and that the selectors have “seriously wronged” Shreyas.

Shubman Gill did not play any T20I after the Sri Lanka tour. However, the primary reason for the same was his unavailability as the selectors wanted him fresh for Tests and ODIs.

“I don't think any batter has had that kind of form right through the IPL season. What with an average of over 50, a strike rate of over 170, plus being the game-changer in the side with the bat. And he gets rewarded with non-selection. So when you do that to a player who's put in one of the best performances ever in the last few months in a format for which the Indian team is getting selected, and you leave it out of the format. Perhaps for a guy who has excelled in a completely different format, Test cricket. Pick a guy who's done well in Test cricket,” said Manjrekar.

“And not just because somebody has done so well in test cricket, gets rewarded with a T20 place, especially at the cost of somebody like Shreyas Iyer. I think the selection these days of the squad and the playing 11 in Indian cricket hasn't been great. It's just amazing, despite the fact that India played so well in England, and there is a great possibility they might do so again in this Asia Cup. But what is wrong is wrong. And I think Iyer has been seriously wronged by the selectors,” he added.

Iyer's last appearance for India in T20Is came in December 2023 when he played the match against Australia. However, ever since then, he has found himself out of favour despite doing well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and IPL.

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