Discarded Batter Set to Lead Indian Team After Asia Cup Snub

The Asia Cup 2025 squad for India has been announced, and the tournament is now only a week away. The selectors have named a strong squad group for the tournament, but missed out on some of the promising players from the squad despite their strong performances in the tournament. India will begin its campaign against the United Arab Emirates on September 10, 2025, followed by significant clashes against Pakistan and Oman.

The Asia Cup will be followed by a long home team tour where India is scheduled to play ODI and T20 series against New Zealand and Australia. It is going to be a busy period for the team, and among the recent developments, there is some good news for an Indian player who was discarded from the Asia Cup 2025 squad.

Shreyas Iyer, who was seen as an easy pick for India's Asia Cup squad, didn't find a place. Shreyas Iyer Asia Cup omission raised a few eyebrows given his recent form. However, with new reports emerging, he is likely to captain the India team in the upcoming tour. This change may provide him with an important chance to make a return to the national side in the longer formats of the game.

Shreyas Iyer Captain: Star Batter Set to Lead Indian Team

As per Cricbuzz, Shreyas Iyer is likely to captain India A in the upcoming unofficial Test series against Australia A. The two matches will be played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, while the ODIs will be hosted at Green Park in Kanpur. This is a significant step for the middle-order batter, especially after his omission from the Asia Cup Squad.

The selectors are expected to give Iyer a leadership role, showing confidence in his experience and recent performances in domestic cricket. The right-handed middle order batter has been one of the best ODI batsmen in the world in the last few years. He will be aiming to make an inclusion in other formats as well.

Iyer is currently part of the Duleep Trophy, representing West Zone in the semifinal against Central Zone. His inclusion in India A and the possibility of the captaincy role, could be an important signal for his chances of returning to the Test side. The development is being closely watched because of continuous Shreyas Iyer India squad omissions. So, the new Shreyas Iyer captain role for India A may help the selectors to evaluate his readiness for the bigger challenges.

Shreyas Iyer's Last International Appearance

The two unofficial Tests against Australia A will provide several Indian players with an opportunity to prove themselves. Shreyas Iyer India captaincy dream is finally about to come true. He has played 14 Tests for the national team so far, scoring one century and five fifties. While his last international appearance came in early 2024, he has been consistent in limited-overs cricket.

Earlier this year, he was part of the Indian squad that won the Champions Trophy in Dubai. At the domestic level, he led Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 Final, finishing as one of the top performers. He is also among the most successful captains in the IPL. In the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Iyer has shown glimpses of form but has also struggled to convert starts into big scores. He will be aiming to make an impact in the remaining innings.