Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has delivered a pointed message to the national selection committee regarding Shreyas Iyer’s standing in the T20Is. Ashwin suggested that the Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain’s continued absence from India’s T20 setup and its core leadership group is ultimately a significant loss for the national team rather than a setback for the player himself.
R Ashwin rooting for Shreyas Iyer's T20I return
Despite his leadership credentials in the domestic circuit, Iyer has remained on the fringes of the international shortest format for several years. He has not featured in India’s T20 side since December 2023 and was notably omitted from the squads that secured T20 World Cup titles in both 2024 and 2026.
“If a player like Shreyas Iyer is still not in the scheme of things (T20 side) or the leadership group, then it’s not his loss it’s our (India’s) loss,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin’s vocal support for Iyer’s return to the T20Is follows a standout performance for PBKS. In their dominant win over the Mumbai Indians on April 16, Iyer delivered a match-defining innings, smashing 66 runs off only 35 balls. This display served as a timely reminder of his ability to anchor and accelerate an innings under pressure.
Shreyas has shown everyone exactly what excellence looks like: Ashwin
Beyond individual knocks, Iyer has maintained an exceptional run of form across both domestic and franchise cricket. In 2024, he famously led Kolkata Knight Riders to their first IPL title in over a decade, followed by captaining Mumbai to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Now with the Punjab Kings, the Mumbai-born batter has carried that championship-winning momentum into the current IPL season, further strengthening his case for a national recall.
According to Ashwin, Iyer has effectively transformed the frustration of repeated snubs into a powerful source of motivation. Rather than letting the exclusion discourage him, the batter has used it as fuel to refine his skills and elevate his performance to an entirely new level.
“Why should he have to answer to anyone? By channelling that inner fire, Shreyas has shown everyone exactly what excellence looks like. People raised constant questions, claiming he couldn't handle the short ball. But look at how he responded to Jasprit Bumrah, using a front press to dispatch a short delivery over mid-wicket for a massive six,” he added.
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Shreyas Iyer is currently enjoying a sensational run of form, amassing 203 runs across just five innings. His impact has been amplified by an aggressive strike rate of 187.96, showcasing his ability to dismantle bowling attacks with both consistency and speed. This high-level individual performance has been a cornerstone of the Punjab Kings' success this season. Thanks in large part to Iyer's contributions at the crease, the team has managed to maintain a perfect record, remaining unbeaten in the league thus far.
“Shreyas is demonstrating his growth in two major ways. He was already one of the best players of spin, but he has evolved. Over the last two years, he has pushed his strike rate from around 128 to well over 170. Against fast bowlers, he's operating at a strike rate of 300. He isn’t just waiting for the full ball; he’s taking the attack to them. Why? Because he is handling the short ball so effectively now that bowlers realise they can no longer use it as a safety net. You cannot simply ‘tuck him up’ with a short ball to save yourself anymore,” the spin legend concluded.