India, Aug. 20 -- Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin expressed surprise over Shreyas Iyer's omission from India's 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, calling it a "big surprise" in a post on social media shortly after the squad was announced on Tuesday.

"Shreyas Iyer left out of the squad. Big surprise," Azharuddin wrote on X (formerly Twitter), echoing the sentiments of several others in the cricketing fraternity who were puzzled by the decision.

Despite a strong IPL season and consistent domestic performances, Iyer did not find a place in the squad for the continental tournament, scheduled to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28. In contrast, Shubman Gill, who missed T20 action for more than a year, made a retur...