Shreyas Iyer Declines Captaincy Offer Amid Asia Cup Exclusion

Shreyas Iyer, a prominent batsman for the Indian cricket team, has been left out of the Asia Cup 2025 squad, much to the disappointment of fans and himself. Despite being offered the captaincy of the West Zone for the Duleep Trophy, Iyer declined, hoping for a spot in the national team. Reports indicate that after his rejection, Shardul Thakur was appointed as the captain instead. As the Duleep Trophy approaches, Iyer's future in the team remains uncertain, raising questions about the management's decisions regarding his performance.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 24, 2025, 14:09 IST

Shreyas Iyer's Surprising Decision

The Indian cricket team has decided not to include one of its top batsmen, Shreyas Iyer, in the squad for the Asia Cup 2025. Many fans, along with Iyer himself, were hopeful that the team management would place their trust in him and grant him a spot on the team. However, that did not happen. Despite this disappointment, he was offered the captaincy of a team, which he ultimately declined.

Iyer was presented with the opportunity to lead the West Zone in the 2025 Duleep Trophy. However, he turned down the offer, believing he would be selected for the national team instead.

Details on Captaincy Offer

According to reports from a media source, a reliable insider revealed that Iyer was indeed offered the captaincy role for the West Zone, but he chose to decline it. The source stated, "Yes, it is true. The selection committee for the West Zone approached Shreyas Iyer with the captaincy offer, which he rejected. Following this, committee chairman Sanjay Patil approached Shardul Thakur with the captaincy offer, which he accepted."

Iyer's Training and Disappointment

Before the selection for the Asia Cup 2025, Shreyas Iyer had been training alongside Praveen Amre. However, upon learning that his name was not included in the team, he felt quite disheartened. The Indian team management has seemingly overlooked Iyer's performance in the T20 format.

Upcoming Duleep Trophy Tournament

The Duleep Trophy 2025 is set to commence on August 28 and will run until September 15. Iyer is expected to play for the West Zone team, under the captaincy of Shardul Thakur. The West Zone is scheduled to play its second semifinal match on September 4.

West Zone Squad Announcement

The squad for the West Zone includes: Shardul Thakur (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arya Desai, Harvik Desai (Wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Jaymeet Patel, Manan Hingrajia, Saurabh Nawale (Wicketkeeper), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Dharmendra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, and Arjan Nagwaswala.