“It wasn't my decision to drop him” - When Shreyas Iyer’s respect for Gautam Gambhir went high

Shreyas Iyer’s omission from Team India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 has sparked a heated debate. Over the past few years, Iyer has scored heavily across formats in domestic cricket and has also showcased strong leadership qualities. He captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the IPL 2024 title, and in the following season, guided his new franchise, Punjab Kings (PBKS), to the final. In both campaigns, he led from the front with the bat.

Despite those performances, Iyer not only missed out on a place in the Asia Cup squad but was also excluded from the five-member reserves list. This has sparked discussions among fans, with many speculating that there may be underlying issues between him and the team management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Interestingly, the professional relationship between Gambhir and Iyer goes back to 2018. During the IPL that year, Gambhir returned to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) after winning two titles with KKR. However, he endured a poor run of form and played only six matches. Midway through the season, Gambhir dropped himself from the playing XI, handing over the captaincy to a young Shreyas Iyer.

“The respect for him has gone really high” - Iyer on Gambhir

After his first game as skipper, Iyer was asked about Gambhir’s decision. He clarified that it was entirely Gambhir’s choice and praised the move. As quoted by Cricbuzz, he said: “I didn't make any call, to be honest. It wasn't my decision to drop him. He himself decided to sit out, which was really courageous decision with him being the captain in the previous matches. The respect for him has gone really high. It's really [good to] see when a captain, if he's not playing well, he backs out. Colin [Munro] came in and gave us the desired start.”

Years later, their paths crossed again. In 2024, Iyer captained KKR to their third IPL trophy, while Gambhir was in the dugout as team mentor. But ahead of the 2025 season, KKR surprisingly moved on from their title-winning skipper. Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky365 and download the Sky365 App to start betting today!