T20 World Cup 2021: Shreyas Iyer not in the Indian squad should not be a surprise

India's 15-man squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE was announced on Wednesday, 8th September. It had a few surprise inclusions (Ravichandran Ashwin) and exclusions (Shreyas Iyer and Yuzvendra Chahal).

Considering the depth of talent in Indian cricket right now, it was expected that a few players would be hard done by. Shreyas Iyer is one of those players who, a year ago, would've definitely been picked in the squad. However, with the emergence of Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan to go along with an unfortunate long term injury, Iyer's exclusion is not really a surprise.

Why it makes sense to not pick Shreyas Iyer

The Squad is Out! 🙌What do you make of #TeamIndia for ICC Men's T20 World Cup❓ pic.twitter.com/1ySvJsvbLw

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 8, 2021

Click here for the T20 World Cup 2021 format to see how teams will qualify for Super 12, semi-finals and finals.

Not selecting Shreyas Iyer makes sense from a tactical viewpoint. The Delhi Capitals captain is more of an anchor than a power hitter. India already have enough anchors in the team, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. The most successful T20 teams in the world right now are stacking themselves up with power hitters and that's exactly what India have tried to achieve with their initial 15-man team.

The likes of Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant are game changers. That's something they hold over someone like Shreyas Iyer. India need a middle-order that can score runs quickly while the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma hold one end together.

Also, both Kishan and Suryakumar are more versatile options than Iyer. While Kishan can also open the batting, Suryakumar is adept at playing any role in the middle order.

What can Shreyas Iyer do to get back into the squad?

Training photo dump 💪 pic.twitter.com/8GssteV97q

— Shreyas Iyer (@ShreyasIyer15) August 31, 2021

Although Shreyas Iyer is not in the initial 15-man squad, he is one of the stand-by players. With the teams allowed to change their respective squads up until the 10th of October, there is still a slim window for Iyer to impress.

The second half of IPL 2021, starting 19th September, presents the perfect opportunity for the 26-year-old to show the selectors he means business. He will have to alter his style of play drastically though.

If Iyer can show some raw power hitting skills for the Delhi Capitals, then Virat Kohli and Co. might have something to think about. If he doesn't, then there's no chance he'll make the squad unless an injury forces the hand of the team management.