Shreyas Iyer narrative not dictated by BCCI's 'bad Asia Cup signal, lack of clarity': He will return for T20 World Cup

Despite his stellar performances in the 2025 IPL season, where he led his team to the final for the second straight year, and his heroics in the Champions Trophy, Shreyas Iyer was shockingly left out of India’s Asia Cup squad for the tournament beginning September 9 in the UAE. However, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra "strongly feels" that the BCCI’s shaky stance is unlikely to remain unchanged, backing Iyer for a return ahead of the T20 World Cup next year. Shreyas Iyer was not picked for the Asia Cup

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra admitted that Iyer could perhaps have done more to push for selection in the Asia Cup squad, but maintained that the star batter will be back in the reckoning for the World Cup at home. India will play five T20Is after the Asia Cup — against Australia and then South Africa at home — and the former Kolkata Knight Riders batter felt Iyer will use those fixtures to strengthen his case for a World Cup berth.

“Shreyas Iyer not being there is a big story. What more will Shreyas Iyer have to do? What more can you do than what you have already done? You had a 600-plus run IPL season, took the team to the final, scored runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, played Ranji, and won the Champions Trophy. That’s all you can do as a human being,” he said.

“This is the Asia Cup team. Don’t attach the World Cup with it because there are 15 T20Is after this. The world changes in 15 T20Is. If he keeps scoring runs in ODIs, sooner or later, Shreyas Iyer will be part of the team. I have a strong feeling that Shreyas Iyer will be a part of India’s T20 World Cup team,” he added.

Chopra, however, admitted he was baffled at Iyer not being picked even as a reserve batter for the Asia Cup, saying it neither sent a "great signal" nor offered any clarity about his future in the format.

“Shreyas’ name is not even there in the five reserves, and that is surprising. It’s understandable that you couldn’t have him in the 15 as you can’t play him in the XI, and you wanted lower-order batters as backup, where Shivam Dube is there, and Rinku Singh will be given another chance, which is absolutely par for the course,” he said.

“However, a place could have been created in the reserve players at least, where you have kept Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Prasidh Krishna. This player’s name could have been there. You haven’t kept it there either, and that doesn’t send a great signal. The clarity in front of Shreyas’ name is completely not there,” Chopra observed.

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