"Who knows what is going on....”- AB de Villiers’ strong reaction to India omitting star player from 2025 Asia Cup squad

Former South African skipper AB de Villiers shared his shock over Shreyas Iyer’s omission from India’s squad for the 2025 Asia Cup. Iyer, known for his consistency in the middle order, has been a dependable option for India in limited-overs cricket, making his absence from the upcoming tournament unexpected for many.

Meanwhile, chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the matter while unveiling India’s 15-member squad for the Asia Cup on Tuesday, August 19. He acknowledged that Iyer was unfortunate to miss out, suggesting that the decision was more about team balance and available options rather than his performance.

The Asia Cup 2025 will feature eight teams, and India’s squad announcement has already sparked discussions among fans and experts. With de Villiers openly voicing his views, the spotlight on Iyer’s exclusion has intensified, raising questions about selection dynamics and India’s batting combinations ahead of the high-stakes continental tournament.

See Also: “When did they retire?”- Rajeev Shukla dismisses speculation on farewell series for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

AB de Villiers Shares His Opinion on Shreyas Iyer’s Absence in Squad:

Shreyas Iyer enjoyed a remarkable IPL 2025 season, amassing 604 runs in 17 matches at an impressive average above 50 and a blazing strike rate of 175.07. Adding to his brilliance, he captained Punjab Kings to the tournament final in his debut season as leader. 

This was a historic achievement for PBKS, as the franchise broke a decade-long drought, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2015 and finishing as runners-up. Just a year earlier, Shreyas Iyer had guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL championship as captain. 

Reflecting on his omission from India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, AB de Villiers shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel, expressing surprise that a player with such leadership and batting success was overlooked for the tournament.

He said, “ Who knows what is going on behind closed doors. Maybe not even Shreyas knows. There might be a few things that have taken place over the years that's determined why he is not the flavor of the month this tournament. I am not sure what the reason is because he will be in my team more often than not.”

He further said, “ I just read through that squad and I was thinking where Shreyas Iyer can fit in. I've seen fans being upset about his exclusion and Shreyas will be the most upset because he's played some really good cricket over the last few years. He has matured a lot and has shown a lot of leadership qualities.”

AB de Villiers Also Highlights Another Side of This Exclusion:

AB de Villiers suggested that Shreyas Iyer’s omission from India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad might not be purely based on performance, hinting that other unseen factors could have influenced the selectors’ decision. Despite being a key name in the ODI setup, Iyer has not been a regular feature in T20Is.

The 30-year-old last played a T20I in December 2023. His record in the shortest format is steady but not extraordinary, with 51 appearances yielding an average of 30.66 and a strike rate of 136.12. While impressive in parts, these numbers may not have worked in his favor this time.

He further added, “ Thinking about when I was captaining, if there is a 50-50 call between two players, I would always lean towards the guy that offers more from a team perspective off the field. When it's 50-50 on the field, you have to start looking at other areas like 'Does he add value in the team room, does he have a smile on his face, does he uplift some of the other players around him?'. Or is he sort of dragging energy from the squad?”

He concluded, “ Maybe it's got something to do with that. I am just taking a complete guess because it is weird that a quality player like him not making the starting squad for Team India, especially with the leadership qualities he is bringing. Maybe it'll be too much of a clash with him there and maybe there are too many leaders and too many captains. Maybe the truth will come out one day and we'll know why Shreyas is struggling to get into Team India.”

The 2025 Asia Cup is set to kick off in the UAE on September 9. Team India will begin their campaign a day later, facing the host nation in Dubai on September 10. The tournament promises high-intensity cricket as top Asian sides battle for supremacy in the prestigious continental competition.