Former India star urges Shreyas Iyer to hang in as coach & selectors reminded of his World Cup exploits

Prolific batter Shreyas Iyer’s current situation has become a puzzling one, as questions continue to arise over his exclusion from India’s T20I squad. The Mumbai-born right-hander, recently appointed as vice-captain for India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, remains on the sidelines when it comes to T20Is — despite his stellar form in the IPL 2025.

Leading Punjab Kings to their first IPL final in 11 years, Shreyas amassed over 600 runs during the tournament. Yet, his performances were not enough to earn him a spot in the Asia Cup 2025 squad or the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia.

Adding to the intrigue, Shreyas had earlier informed the BCCI that he should not be considered for Test selection due to the physical strain of five-day cricket. Amid growing speculation around his future, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif extended his support to the 30-year-old, urging him to “hang in there.”

“Great to catch up with Shreyas Iyer. What a player. Hundred on Test debut, 2023 ODI World Cup hero, only captain to lead three IPL teams to finals. T20 national call-up too will come. Hang in there, a great future awaits you, Shreyas,” Kaif wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The recent shift in India’s ODI leadership — with Shubman Gill replacing Rohit Sharma as captain — saw Shreyas being rewarded for his leadership in the IPL, as he was appointed Gill’s deputy.

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer bares his heart about untold struggle behind his comeback and Asia Cup omission

The past two years have been a rollercoaster for Iyer. In early 2024, he was dropped from the BCCI’s annual contract list after skipping Ranji Trophy matches for Mumbai. However, he was later reinstated and named in the squad for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. Despite this, his name was missing from the West Indies Test series, following his email to the BCCI about stepping away from the longest format.

For now, all eyes are on when Shreyas Iyer returns to domestic cricket and reaffirms his commitment to the red-ball format — a move that could potentially reignite his Test ambitions.