India, Aug. 21 -- Following the backlash against BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar - to which the Indian board later responded - head coach Gautam Gambhir has now been dragged into the debate surrounding Shreyas Iyer's non-selection for the Asia Cup. Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh alleged that Gambhir did not back Iyer's inclusion, hinting at favouritism in the selection process.

Despite a prolific season where Iyer amassed 604 runs in the 2025 IPL at a strike rate of 174 and scored 300-plus runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at a strike rate of 188, he was overlooked for the Asia Cup, which begins on September 9 in the UAE. The decision has sparked widespread outrage.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ramesh claimed that a false ...