Former cricketer names THIS player as India’s best middle order batter
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra on Monday called Shreyas Iyer India’s best current middle-order batter and has urged his inclusion in the Indian squad for the Asia Cup.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said Iyer was unmatched in controlling the game during the crucial middle overs, consistently hitting boundaries and relieving pressure from his batting partners.
“The Asia Cup squad needs to include Shreyas Iyer because no Indian player was better than him in the middle overs during the Champions Trophy.
“He took the attack to the opposition, hit boundaries whenever he wanted, and helped keep the momentum going for the team,” Chopra said.
Chopra also pointed to Iyer’s stellar form in the 2025 IPL, where he scored 604 runs in 17 innings at an average of 50.33, guiding Punjab Kings to the final.
“This was Shreyas Iyer’s best IPL season yet. We have often seen that IPL performances play a key role in T20 selections. By that measure, Iyer deserves a spot,” Chopra added.
Chopra noted that the Punjab Kings skipper has amassed 1,104 runs at a strike rate of 136.11 in 47 T20I innings, making him the fifth highest run-scorer among active Indian T20I players.
“Iyer’s experience, composure and ability to anchor the middle overs will be crucial for India in building a strong foundation ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup,” he concluded.
It is pertinent to mention that the Asia Cup 2025 will begin with a Group B fixture between Afghanistan and Hong Kong on September 9.
A total of eight teams, divided into two groups, will vie for the prestigious title. Fierce rivals Pakistan and India are placed in Group A, alongside UAE and Oman, while Group B features Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong.
Pakistan will open their campaign against Oman on September 12, followed by the blockbuster match against India on September 14. Their final group-stage game is scheduled for September 17 against the UAE.
Complete schedule of ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025
• 9 September: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong
• 10 September: India vs UAE
• 11 September: Bangladesh vs Hong Kong
• 12 September: Pakistan vs Oman
• 13 September: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
• 14 September: India vs Pakistan
• 15 September: UAE vs Oman
• 15 September: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong
• 16 September: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan
• 17 September: Pakistan vs UAE
• 18 September: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan
• 19 September: India vs Oman
Super Four Stage:
• September 20: B1 vs B2
• September 21: A1 vs A2
• September 23: A2 vs B1
• September 24: A1 vs B2
• September 25: A2 vs B2
• September 26: A1 vs B1
September 28: Final