“Unfair to a player who bats in such excellent rhythm” - Former India spinner questions Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from Asia Cup 2025

Former India spinner Maninder Singh has expressed his surprise at Shreyas Iyer’s omission from India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad. Despite being in fine form, the Mumbai batter failed to secure a place in the 20-member contingent, which also includes five standby players for the multi-nation tournament.

In a conversation with Sports Now, the 60-year-old questioned Iyer’s exclusion, stating:

“Talking about Shreyas Iyer, I am very surprised. It often comes to my mind that such a good player, because five to seven years ago I had said that he is a future captain of the Indian team. It is beyond my understanding how a player like him is not in the team.”

“And if what is happening with him is an attempt to break his confidence, then I think it is unfair to a player who bats in such excellent rhythm and has a perfect understanding of the game. In white-ball cricket especially, he has a clear idea of how to score runs at different stages of the match,” he added.

Meanwhile, Team India will kick off their campaign against hosts UAE on Wednesday, September 10, in Dubai.

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“Hope he converts this disappointment into performances” - Maninder Singh backs Shreyas Iyer for a strong comeback

During the same conversation, Maninder Singh also praised Shreyas Iyer’s attitude and expressed confidence that the Mumbai batter will deliver consistently once given the opportunity. He said:

“I was also reading one of his interviews where he told his father, 'No problem, whatever is written in my destiny will come to me.' That is a very good attitude, because if your mindset is like that, then when the opportunity comes in the future, you will make the most of it. I hope he converts this disappointment into performances whenever he gets the chance, so that those who are against him or don’t want to see him move forward will get their answer.”

Shreyas Iyer has represented India in 135 matches across formats, scoring 4,760 runs at an average of 40.68, including 35 half-centuries and six centuries.