Asia Cup 2025: Shreyas Iyer's father calls son’s omission ‘sad and unfair’; Abhishek Nayar also reacts strongly

India’s dynamic batter Shreyas Iyer has found unwavering support from his father Santosh Iyer, following his exclusion from the squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. In an emotional reaction, Santosh expressed his disappointment and questioned the rationale behind the decision.

Calling the omission both "sad" and "unfair", Santosh Iyer didn’t hold back. He also shared insights into how Shreyas personally responded to being left out by the selectors.

“I don’t know what else Shreyas has to do to make it to the Indian T20 team," Santosh Iyer was quoted as saying by Dainik Jagran.

"He has been performing so well in the IPL year after year, from Delhi Capitals to Kolkata Knight Riders to Punjab Kings, and that too as a captain.

"He even captained KKR to the IPL title in 2024, and led PBKS to the final this year. I’m not saying make him the Indian captain, but at least select him in the team,” he added.

Shreyas' calm reaction to the snub

Despite the public outrage, Shreyas himself has remained composed. According to his father, the middle-order batter has chosen not to display any frustration outwardly.

“However, let me tell you that even if he’s left out of the Indian team, he doesn’t show dissent on his face. He’ll just say: ‘Mera naseeb hai (It’s my fate)! You can’t do anything now.’ He’s always cool and calm. He doesn’t blame anybody. Deep inside, he must be naturally disappointed,” said Santosh Iyer.

Shreyas Iyer last featured for India in a T20I against Australia in December 2023. Since then, he has been in solid form in the IPL, leading KKR to a title win in 2024 and guiding Punjab Kings to the final in 2025, which makes his omission all the more surprising for fans and experts.

Abhishek Nayar slams selection snub

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar voiced his strong disapproval of the selection call, choosing to speak candidly about Shreyas Iyer’s omission. Speaking on JioHotstar, Nayar was blunt in his assessment.

"I can't fathom or understand what reason could justify Shreyas Iyer not being part of the 20-member squad," Nayar was quoted as saying by Dainik Jagran.

"I'm not even talking about the final 15, but the 20 itself, which sends a clear message, that Shreyas Iyer is not in the selectors' scheme of things, at least from a T20 perspective.”

Fans and experts join the outrage

Shreyas Iyer’s absence from the Asia Cup squad has sparked widespread disappointment on social media. Many fans argue that his consistent performances and leadership across multiple IPL franchises should have guaranteed his place in the national setup.

As per Dainik Jagran, while the BCCI appears satisfied with the current selection panel under Ajit Agarkar, the omission of an in-form, experienced player like Shreyas has certainly raised questions—both inside and outside cricketing circles.