Renowned cricket commentator Aakash Chopra has praised Shreyas Iyer for his stellar performances in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and IPL 2025, backing him for a spot in India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025.
Shreyas Iyer has been in sensational form since the start of the year. In India’s title-winning campaign at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, he emerged as the team’s highest run-scorer, amassing 243 runs in five matches at an impressive average of 48.60.
He continued his outstanding run in the IPL 2025, leading Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the final. Iyer finished as the sixth-highest run-scorer of the tournament, scoring 604 runs in 17 matches at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07, showcasing his consistency and explosive batting prowess.
Aakash Chopra Backs Shreyas Iyer for India Squad in Asia Cup 2025
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has thrown his weight behind Shreyas Iyer’s inclusion in India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Iyer’s role as one of India’s most impactful middle-order batters during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
“Shreyas Iyer deserves attention because during the Champions Trophy, no Indian player performed better than him in the middle overs. He consistently attacked the opposition, cleared boundaries at will, and lifted the pressure off his batting partners,” Chopra said.
The 47-year-old also highlighted Iyer’s exceptional IPL 2025 season, noting that T20 selections often reward standout performances in the league.
“After the Champions Trophy came the IPL, and Shreyas had his best-ever season. We’ve seen how IPL form influences T20 selections—with players like Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Abhishek Sharma, and Sanju Samson. From that perspective, Shreyas Iyer deserves a spot,” he added.
However, Chopra acknowledged the challenge of fitting Iyer into India’s T20I side, given the strong performances of Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav at the No. 3 and No. 4 positions.
“We can make a case for Shreyas, but Tilak Varma has been unstoppable at No. 3 or No. 4. Comparing him to Shreyas, who usually bats lower in the IPL, is like comparing apples and oranges,” Chopra explained.
Indian selectors are set to announce the Asia Cup 2025 squad on August 19 in Mumbai. Suryakumar Yadav, the current T20I skipper, will lead the Men in Blue in the tournament, which begins on September 9 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
India, the defending champions, are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, UAE, and Oman. Their opening match will be against UAE on September 10.
