"Mera naseeb hai (It's my luck)" -- that's what Shreyas Iyer says when he is not selected in the team, revealed his father Santosh, reacting to the T20 Asia Cup 2025 snub. Iyer was expected to be picked in the squad following stellar performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain but it didn't happen. Santosh wonders what his son has to do to make it to the Indian T20 team.
"I don't know what else Shreyas has to do to make it to the Indian T20 team. 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," Santosh told The Times of India.
Shreyas's last T20I appearance was against Australia in December 2023. The chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that the PBKS captain has done nothing wrong but at the moment, he will have to wait for a chance. Santosh wants a place for Shreyas in the T20 team. He said that Iyer doesn't show it but he is disappointed.
"I am not saying make him the Indian captain, but at least select him in the team. Even if he's left out, he never shows dissent. He'll simply say, 'Mera naseeb hai' (It's my luck; you can't do anything now). He is always cool and calm.
"He doesn't blame anybody, but deep inside he must be naturally disappointed," he added.
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Shreyas Iyer’s T20I record and visible change in approach
The 30-year-old has 1,104 runs to his name from 47 innings in T20Is at an average of 136.182. He has eight T20I half-centuries. However, he has made changes to his T20 approach, taking more attacking options rather than opting for an anchor approach. In this year's IPL season, he delivered his best with the bat. From 17 innings, he scored 604 runs at an average of 50.33, including six fifties. His strike rate of 175.07 is his best in a season in IPL career.
India’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 squad -
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
Stand-bys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal