'Got to tell me who he can replace?': Chief selector Ajit Agarkar wants Shreyas Iyer to wait for his chance after T20 Asia Cup squad snub

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'Got to tell me who he can replace?': Chief selector Ajit Agarkar wants Shreyas Iyer to wait for his chance after T20 Asia Cup squad snub
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer during IPL 2025; Chief selector Ajit Agarkar speaks at a press conference.

Story Highlights:

Shreyas Iyer was in stupendous form in IPL 2025.

Shubman Gill scored more runs than Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2025 but had a lower strike rate.

Iyer was not picked in the standys for T20 Asia Cup 2025 either.

Asia Cup 2025: Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer could not find a place in India’s squad for T20 Asia Cup 2025. The men’s selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar chose to rope in Shubman Gill as vice-captain for the tournament instead. Agarkar clarified that it is not Iyer’s fault that he is not in the team. He also asked who would Iyer replace if he has to walk into the squad. 

"Again no fault of his. Got to tell me who he can replace? At the moment, will have to wait for his chance," Agarkar said in the press conference in Mumbai on August 19. 

 

 

Iyer did not find a place in the standbys as well. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been kept as the back-up opener in reserves in case of an unfortunate injury.

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Iyer vs Gill comparison in IPL 2025 

Iyer was in sublime form in the IPL 2025. Leading PBKS, he scored 604 runs from 17 innings at an average of 50.33, including six half-centuries. His highest score in the season was 97 not out. He scored runs at a strike rate of 175.07.

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On the other hand, Gill scored more runs than Iyer in the season but his team did not make it past the eliminator. Gill scored 650 runs from 15 innings at an average of 50, including six half-centuries. His strike rate in the season was 155.87.

Agarkar on Gill’s absence from T20I squad 

Gill was not a part of the T20I series against England earlier this year. He pointed out that the 25-year-old was the vice-captain of the side in the T20I series against Sri Lanka last year. 

"Last time when he played in T20s post World Cup, when we went to Sri Lanka, he was vice-captain. That's where we started new cycle for T20 World Cup. After that we got busy with Test cricket, and he didn't get opportunities. We're happy to have him,” Agarkar said. 

 

 

India’s squad for T20 Asia Cup 2025 -

Surya Kumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh

Standbys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal