Shreyas Iyer’s Asia Cup heartbreak could be mended by Test return against West Indies

Shreyas Iyer last played Test cricket for India in February 2024 against England at home.

Sixes are the currency of T20 cricket. No Indian hit more maximums than Shreyas Iyer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, yet when it came to selection for the Asia Cup, Shreyas was nowhere to be found. Leave the 15-man squad aside; he wasn’t included in the standby list either.

Shreyas Iyer’s shocking omission

The move left current Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach and former India coach Abhishek Nayar perplexed.

“I can’t fathom or understand what reason could justify Shreyas Iyer not being part of the 20-member squad. 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,” Nayar said on JioHotstar.

Some players selected had half the impact that Shreyas did. Batting at number three or four for Punjab Kings, the 30-year-old became a menacing character for bowlers. Labelled as a specialist against spinners, Shreyas scored 397 runs against fast bowlers at a 188.15 strike rate.

His 3.0 version wowed everyone. An apparent weakness against short balls ceased to exist as he hit Kagiso Rabada 20 rows back at the Narendra Modi Stadium. His non-selection is head-scratching. Ravichandran Ashwin called the omission from the Asia Cup squad ‘very, very sad‘.

Test comeback on the cards

But there’s light at the end of the tunnel. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may have overlooked Shreyas for the Asia Cup, but might just bring him back for Test cricket. According to RevSportz, the 30-year-old, who hasn’t played red-ball cricket for India since February 2024, could very well make a comeback against the West Indies in October.

As things stand, the numbers three and six are up for grabs. Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair played at those spots in England. Neither cemented them. Considering India will play at home, spin would rule the roost, and Shreyas is one of the best players of spin. After a solid performance in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, 480 runs at 68.57, a comeback to Test cricket won’t be shocking.

Shreyas will be playing in the Duleep Trophy for the West Zone, and perhaps performing there could seal the spot. One can’t forget that Sarfaraz Khan, his Mumbai and West Zone teammate, will also be vying for a spot.