New Delhi (2025): The debate over Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy credentials has taken centre stage again after his absence from the Indian squad for the recent Asia Cup. Many fans and pundits have questioned why a captain who led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 trophy and took Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final was ignored.

But Rajasthan Royals pacer Sandeep Sharma has strongly pushed back against this argument, calling it a “stupid debate.”

Sandeep Sharma’s Sharp Reply

Speaking to the media, Sandeep said:

“There is no point in saying Shreyas Iyer should be made the captain of the Indian team just because he performed well in the IPL. Leading an IPL side and leading India are two completely different things. People must first understand this difference.”

He explained that while IPL teams are a mix of local talents, young players, and overseas stars, the Indian national team is made up of the best 15 players in the country, which requires a very different level of leadership.

“You should choose someone who can handle those 15 players well. To compare IPL captaincy with India’s captaincy is pointless,” Sandeep added.

Shreyas Iyer’s Strong Record as Captain

Despite Sharma’s criticism, Iyer’s achievements as a leader remain impressive:

• Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024: Led Mumbai to the title.

• Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25: Scored 325 runs in just 5 matches as captain.

• IPL: Guided Kolkata Knight Riders to the 2024 title and Punjab Kings to the 2025 final.

However, as Sharma pointed out, international cricket brings different pressure and demands.

Shreyas Iyer’s India ‘A’ Opportunity

The BCCI has now named Shreyas Iyer as captain of India ‘A’ for the upcoming first-class series against Australia ‘A’ in Lucknow.

This is seen as a big chance for the 30-year-old to re-establish himself in red-ball cricket. Iyer was the last part of the Indian Test team in the 2024 home series against England, but has since been overlooked in four consecutive Test series.

• Ranji Trophy 2025: Scored 480 runs in 5 matches, including two centuries and a maiden double century.

• Champions Trophy UAE 2025: Played a crucial role in India’s ODI triumph.

• IPL 2025: Scored over 600 runs for the first time at a strike rate of 175+.

India ‘A’ vs Australia ‘A’: Full Details

Both matches will be played at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow.

• 1st Match: September 16–19, 2025

• 2nd Match: September 23–26, 2025 (KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj to join)

India ‘A’ Squad: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, N. Jagadeesan (WK), Sai Sudarshan, Dhruv Jural (Vice-Captain & WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Ayush Pathoni, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhanush Kotiyan, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed, Manav Sudar, Yash Thakur.

Youngsters to Watch Out For

New faces, including Harsh Dubey, Ayush Pathoni, Yash Thakur, and Gurnoor Brar, have also been added, making this series a platform for India’s next generation of talent.