India’s middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer broke his silence following his snub from the Asia Cup 2025 squad, citing that while being left out is frustrating at times, one should support if some other player is doing well and contributing to the team's wins.

Iyer was overlooked for the continental showpiece despite doing well in the IPL over the last two seasons. The 30-year-old played a key role both as a batter and captain, leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title win in 2024, and guiding PBKS to the final of the IPL 2025.

Speaking on a podcast on IQOO India's YouTube Channel, Shreyas Iyer addressed the mental challenges of squad omissions.

"It is only frustrating when you know that you deserve to be in the team, in the playing XI. At that time, it is frustrating. But at the same time, when you know that someone is performing and playing consistently for the team and bringing their best, you support them. And eventually, the goal is for the team to win. When the team is winning, everyone is happy," Iyer said.

"But as I keep talking about integrity, even if you don't get a chance, you have to make sure that you do your work ethically. It's not like you do it only when someone is watching. Even when no one is watching, you have to keep doing your work," he added.

Shreyas ended up as the sixth-highest run-getter in the IPL 2025 season, amassing 604 runs in 17 matches and innings at a strike rate of 175.07 with six fifties. However, he wasn’t even considered in the reserves for the Asia Cup.

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer on Saturday (August 6) was named India A captain for the upcoming two red-ball matches against Australia A in Lucknow. He is currently playing for West Zone in the Duleep Trophy semifinal against Central Zone in Bengaluru.

While Iyer’s absence from the Asia Cup squad may be a talking point, India’s preparations for their title defense are in full swing. The Men in Blue will open their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against the UAE on September 10, followed by the marquee clash with Pakistan on September 14 and a group-stage fixture versus Oman on September 19. The playoffs begin on September 20.

India squad for Asia Cup 2025: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh

Stand-bys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal