New Delhi
Former India cricketer and selector Jatin Paranjape has expressed surprise over Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28. Iyer, who had an impressive IPL 2025 season, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 175 and averaging over 50, also led Punjab Kings to a runners-up finish.
Paranjape believes Iyer deserved a spot in the squad. “His omission stands out. I felt he should have been in the team, and there are at least three or four players who could have made way for him,” he said.
He also questioned the selection of Harshit Rana over Prasidh Krishna, the IPL 2025 leading wicket-taker. “It’s clear Rana has strong backing, but Prasidh might have been the better choice,” Paranjape noted.
On the positive side, he praised the spin department, which includes Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav, as ideal for the turning pitches in the UAE.
India, the current T20 World Champions, will face Pakistan on September 10, UAE on the 14th, and Oman on the 19th in Group A, before heading into the Super Four stage.
