Overview

• Punjab Kings assistant coach Brad Haddin blasted the call as an "extraordinary" selection, saying he first thought Iyer was injured and even considered him captaincy material.
• Former New Zealand batter Ross Taylor said leaving out a player of Iyer’s caliber signals exceptional squad depth.
• Former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya called Iyer unlucky and pointed out he was not picked even among the reserves.
• The 15-man squad named earlier in the week features Shubman Gill as vice-captain, with Sanju Samson’s wicketkeeping and middle-order role cited as factors limiting space for another specialist batter.
• Iyer’s exclusion comes despite 600-plus IPL 2025 runs and a key Champions Trophy contribution, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mohammed Siraj also left out.