'Shreyas Iyer Is Well-Deserving': Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar Breaks Silence On Suryakumar Yadav's Exclusion From Indian T20I Squad

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, broke his silence on the omission of Suryakumar Yadav from Team India’s T20I squad, calling it a tough decision.

The BCCI announced Team India’s T20I squad for the upcoming series against Ireland and England, along with the squad for the Asian Games 2026.

Soon after the announcement, Agarkar addressed a press conference in Mumbai.

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Ajit Agarkar Opens Up On Dropping Suryakumar Yadav

Speaking to reporters, Agarkar admitted that dropping Suryakumar was a difficult call for the selectors. He highlighted that Suryakumar’s form had dipped over the past two years and explained that the decision was made with the next two-year cycle in mind.

“With regards to SKY, it was a tough one. Partly his own form and also looking at the next two-year cycle, we thought this was the best way forward. Shreyas is well-deserving,” Agarkar said.

He further elaborated on Shreyas Iyer’s inclusion in the squad and his appointment as captain, describing him as a “standout candidate.”

“With regards to Shreyas, we’ve seen what he has done over the last few years, leading different franchises. He led a team to a title, his own performances have been good, and he was close to being part of the World Cup squad. In my opinion, he was a standout candidate,” Agarkar added.

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Here's How Suryakumar Yadav Performed In T20Is

Suryakumar Yadav led the Indian cricket team to victory in the T20 World Cup 2026. Despite playing a crucial role in both the 2024 and 2026 editions, the 35-year-old was dropped from the squad due to his recent dip in form.

Over his career, Yadav has featured in 113 T20I matches and 107 innings, amassing 3,272 runs at a strike rate of 162.94 and an average of 36.35. He has registered four centuries and 25 half-centuries for the Men in Blue in the shortest format of the game.

India's Squad for England and Ireland Tour: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Isha Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

India's Squad for Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.