"Getting rewarded for test match performances"- Sanjay Manjrekar takes a dig at Shubman Gill, calls Shreyas Iyer's snub for Asia Cup 2025 'shocking'

Sanjay Manjrekar was shocked by Shreyas Iyer’s snub for Asia Cup 2025.

Reputed cricket commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has slammed Indian selectors for overlooking Shreyas Iyer in the India squad for Asia Cup 2025. He also lambasted selectors for picking players in the T20I team based on their performances in tests, taking a dig at Shubman Gill.

Notably, Iyer’s omission from Asia Cup 2025 squad raised a lot of eyebrows in the Indian cricket fraternity. The right-handed batsman showed wonderful batting effort in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper slammed 604 runs in 17 games at a brilliant average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. With six half-centuries, where his highest score was an unbeaten 97 runs, he finished as the highest run-scorer for his team and overall sixth-highest run-getter in the league.

It just doesn’t make any sense: Sanjay Manjrekar blasts Indian selectors

While speaking in a video on Instagram, Manjrekar slammed Indian selectors for picking players for Asia Cup 2025 based on performances in other formats. Notably, Shubman Gill has been named as India’s vice-captain for the tournament. He showed a marvellous form in India’s recently-concluded test series against England. He has returned to the T20I side after more than a year.

“It’s something I’ve seen over the years, not recently: this tendency of selectors to pick a player based on performances in one format, where that person excelled, and then picking him for another format,” he said.

“When I see a player getting rewarded for his Test match performances by being placed in the T20 side, I just find that devoid of cricketing logic. It just doesn’t make any sense,” he added.

The 60-year-old also lambasted selectors for overlooking Iyer despite his spectacular batting show in IPL 2025.

“Shreyas Iyer not making this T20 squad of India for the Asia Cup is just shocking. He didn’t put a foot wrong in that comeback series and then carried that form into IPL cricket,” he said.

“I don’t think any batter has had that kind of form throughout the IPL season, with the average over 50, strike rate over 170, and being the game-changer in the side with the bat. And he gets rewarded with non-selection,” Manjrekar added.

Speaking about Iyer’s snub, India chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said that they do not have a place for him in the current setup. Yashasvi Jaiswal is another player whose snub from Asia Cup 2025 squad became a talk of the town.

Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav is set to lead India in Asia Cup 2025. The tournament will commence on September 9 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Defending champions India are placed in Group A in the tournament and will face the UAE in their first game on September 10 in Dubai.

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