NEW DELHI: Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has expressed his surprise over Shreyas Iyer's omission from India's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup in the UAE, calling the decision "weird" and insisting there is "no cricketing reason" behind it.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Iyer, who piled up over 600 runs in the 2025 IPL season while leading Punjab Kings to the final, was widely expected to be part of India's 15-member squad. He also played a crucial role in India's Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year and was praised by captain Rohit Sharma for repeatedly rescuing the side in pressure situations. But the selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, left him out altogether, not keeping him the reserves list either.
De Villiers, speaking during a live chat on X, said he was baffled by the snub.
"It is tough, guys. I was just going through the squad. I was thinking, where can we fit Shreyas in? I think Shreyas will be the most upset because he's played some really good cricket over the last few years. He's matured a lot, he's shown a lot of leadership qualities. But who knows what is going on behind closed doors? Not me. Not you guys. Maybe not even Shreyas knows."
The former Proteas skipper suggested that non-cricketing factors could have influenced the decision.
"Sometimes, when it's a 50-50 call between two players, I would always lean towards the guy I feel offers more from a team perspective off the field. Does he add value in the team room? Does he uplift others, or does he drain energy? Maybe it's got something to do with that. I'm just honestly taking a complete guess."
Iyer has not featured in India's T20I squad since December 2023 and has struggled to find a place in Tests as well. De Villiers even speculated whether Iyer's strong leadership presence could have been seen as a potential clash within the squad.
"Maybe there are too many leaders there, too many captains. I have no idea, but it's weird to me, a quality player like that, not making the squad, especially with the leadership qualities he's bringing."
De Villiers concluded by urging fans and experts to keep asking questions.
"Maybe the truth will come out one day, and we'll know exactly why Shreyas is struggling to get into Team India."
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