Leadership is becoming a barrier for Shreyas Iyer’s T20I return: Monty Panesar

The most talked-about item at the moment is Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from the Indian squad for the 2025 Asia Cup competition. With 604 runs in 17 games earlier this year, the Punjab Kings captain guided the team to the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) final.

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But according to former England cricketer Monty Panesar, his success as captain may have worked against him because India already has players capable of filling that position. In place of Iyer, India may choose a younger player who would be "easier" for Gautam Gambhir to manage.

“One of the reasons Shreyas Iyer is probably struggling to get into the Indian squad is because he brings those leadership skills, and, at the moment, possibly they've got that covered. It gives them an opportunity to bring in someone younger, a bit more exciting to play, who would be easier to manage for coach Gautam Gambhir," Panesar told India Today.

Iyer’s runs for the Punjab Kings team came at a strike rate of more than 176, and he tackled his so-called short ball issue with grace and hammered sixes at will against the paciest fast bowlers in the IPL.

The middle-order batsman led Punjab Kings' scorching strategy by reinventing his game. He prioritized the team's goals over his own accomplishments, accepting risk while balancing it with consistency and success.

Ever since India reformed its approach in T20Is, the focus of Indian batters has been playing for the team rather than their own milestones, something Rohit Sharma has embraced and was evident in the 2023 World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the recent ICC Champions Trophy 2025 win.

"So, I think him being the captain in IPL makes it a bit difficult for him to get into that team. But I do believe, if he keeps scoring runs, he should be playing. But it's just the talent; the talent is unbelievable. I think India has never been so blessed and lucky that they can pull out probably 2 to 3 teams right now and compete against the world,” Panesar added.

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With the Asia Cup 2025 beginning on September 9, Panesar also picked India as his firm favorites to win the tournament, given the balance of their side.

“India is a firm favorite to win it. They seem like the strongest team. They've got the strongest squad. Obviously, their batting and bowling departments look very strong. The spin department looks excellent as well,” said the former left-arm spinner.

The Asia Cup 2025 begins on September 9, with India playing UAE on September 10 in their first match of Group A, followed by Pakistan on September 14 and Oman on September 19.

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