Shreyas Iyer's recent exclusion from India's Asia Cup 2025 squad has sparked considerable debate and discussion within the cricketing fraternity. Adding another layer to this narrative, reports have emerged that Iyer declined an offer to captain the West Zone team in the Duleep Trophy, allegedly anticipating a call-up for the Asia Cup. Ultimately, Shardul Thakur was named captain for the West Zone squad.

According to sources, the West Zone selection committee, led by chairman Sanjay Patil, initially approached Iyer with the captaincy offer for the Duleep Trophy. However, Iyer reportedly turned down the opportunity, seemingly expecting to be included in the Asia Cup squad. Subsequently, the captaincy was offered to and accepted by Shardul Thakur. Despite declining the captaincy, Iyer remained available for selection in the West Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy.

Iyer's omission from the Asia Cup squad has been met with surprise and criticism by fans and former cricketers alike. Some reports suggest that Iyer had already begun preparing for white-ball cricket with his coach, Pravin Amre, in anticipation of being selected for the Asia Cup. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar described Iyer's exclusion as "shocking". AB de Villiers speculated that the exclusion might be due to team dynamics. De Villiers suggested that selectors might consider a player's off-field contributions and how they impact the team's energy when making close calls. He also pondered whether there might be too many leaders in the squad, potentially leading to a clash.

Iyer's recent form includes leading the Punjab Kings to the Indian Premier League (IPL) final. He scored 604 runs in 17 matches, averaging over 50. Despite this, when chief selector Ajit Agarkar was questioned about Iyer's exclusion, he said that it wasn't due to any fault of Iyer's, but there was no one to replace in the team.

With the Asia Cup now out of the picture, Iyer is expected to play a key role in West Zone's middle order in the Duleep Trophy. The West Zone squad boasts a strong top order, including players like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Iyer's experience and batting prowess will be crucial for the team's success in the tournament.