BCCI Selectors' 'Unfair' Treatment Of Shreyas Iyer Called Out By Ex-India Star: "If He Has Angst, It's Valid"

Shreyas Iyer is currently in great form. Under his captaincy, Punjab Kings are leading the IPL 2026 points table and are unbeaten in six matches. Iyer himself has scored three half-centuries in the five innings he has played. However, it is still not clear whether Iyer will get back into the Indian T20I side anytime soon. Injuries have hampered his career, and he last played a T20I in 2023. After that, he led Punjab Kings to a runner-up finish in IPL 2025, and his team is currently in pole position to qualify for the 2026 playoffs. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said Iyer had every reason to feel hard done by.

"It was just unfair for Shreyas Iyer that his performances down the order didn't get him into the Indian T20I team, because those are the difficult positions. If he has that angst for somebody for giving him that kind of deal, I think it's valid," Manjrekar said on Sportstar's Insight Edge podcast.

"In the IPL, when his team [Punjab Kings] reached the final, he had a phenomenal season. He had the issue where the selectors felt that he was not committing himself enough to domestic cricket, focusing more on other tournaments. That may have hurt him. When you look at him now and the success Punjab Kings have had, surely we can't keep him out for that long," he added.

In IPL 2025, Iyer scored 604 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. This season, he has improved his strike rate to 182.46. Manjrekar believes Iyer is also a strong option for captaincy.

"I think there could be a place for him at number four. He is somebody who can take singles on a slow, turning pitch and is a good player of spin. I think he's done enough to merit a place in the T20 side, and in 50-over cricket as well," Manjrekar said.

"The [captaincy] option is always there. After Suryakumar Yadav, who do you give it to? There's no obvious candidate. So that could be killing two birds with one stone. But it's all premature at this stage because he's not even in the Indian team."

Sources told NDTV that with the IPL continuing to churn out match-ready performers, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to build a 30-35 player pool capable of fielding two competitive T20 sides simultaneously. Planning beyond a single core squad has become necessary as India faces overlapping international commitments later this year, with the Asian Games clashing with a T20 series against the West Indies.

The names under consideration reflect the IPL's growing influence. In the batting department, talents like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Priyansh Arya and Angkrish Raghuvanshi have caught the selectors' attention with their fearless strokeplay. The likes of Rajat Patidar and Ayush Badoni are also on the selectors' radar.

The all-rounder slot, often the backbone of T20 balance, could see opportunities for players like Shashank Singh and Anukul Roy, cricketers who bring versatility and adaptability.

On the bowling front, there is a mix of youth and experience. Ravi Bishnoi continues to be a standout in white-ball cricket, while Khaleel Ahmed (depending on availability), Prasidh Krishna, Ashok Sharma and Kartik Tyagi provide pace options.

Behind the stumps, Dhruv Jurel is among the leading contenders. It is likely to be a team led by Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer.

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Topics mentioned in this article

Shreyas Iyer Sanjay Manjrekar IPL 2026 Punjab Kings India Cricket Team Cricket