Only a few days are left for the start of the Asia Cup 2025, but questions are still being raised in the cricketing world about why Shreyas Iyer has not been included in the squad despite having such an impressive T20 record. Forget the main team, his name is not even on the list of reserve players. Cricket experts are sharing their opinions on this, and amid this, former England spinner Monty Panesar has made a statement that has created a stir in Indian cricket. Panesar believes that Shreyas Iyer’s leadership skills might be the reason behind his exclusion from the squad.
Under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL 2024 title. Later, he led Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final, where they lost to RCB. Apart from IPL, Iyer also has solid captaincy experience in domestic cricket.
Speaking to India Today, Monty Panesar said,
“Shreyas Iyer might be struggling to secure a spot in the Indian team because of his leadership skills, and perhaps, the team management has already figured out their approach on this matter. This gives them the chance to include a younger player who is slightly more exciting to watch and someone coach Gautam Gambhir can manage more easily. So, I feel that being an IPL captain is making it a bit harder for Iyer to find a place in the team.”
Related: AB de Villiers Questions Shreyas Iyer’s Shock Exclusion from India’s Asia Cup 2025 Squad
He further added,
“But I believe that if he continues scoring runs, he should definitely play. His talent is undeniable. I don’t think India has ever been this fortunate before — right now, they have the potential to build two to three competitive teams capable of challenging the world.”