Former Indian fast bowler Irfan Pathan has said that Indian ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer will definitely regret not being a part of the Indian team in both T20 World Cup wins in 2024 and 2026, despite being an important part of the Indian batting unit.
India won consecutive titles in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and 2026 and a number of players like captain Suryakumar Yadav, all-rounders Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel and Shivam Dubey and bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah were part of the title wins on both the occasions. Players like Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav were lucky to be a part of two campaigns in 2026 without playing any role.
However, some deserving players may have been disappointed not to be a part of the competition, especially those who have been playing for a long time and have had an impact on Indian cricket. One such player is India’s ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer.
Shreyas Iyer will regret not being a part of India’s ICC T20 World Cup squad – Irfan Pathan
Former Indian player Irfan Pathan has said that Shreyas Iyer will regret not being a part of the Men in Blue T20 World Cup 2026 winning team. However, he has backed the PBKS skipper to continue his excellent form and lead his franchise to its maiden title.
He said, “He will definitely regret not being a part of the Indian T20 team because I think this guy has that ability and also that space to play in the middle-order in this Indian team. He will definitely be thinking about it, but Shreyas Iyer will perform the same way he has been doing for so many years.”
Undoubtedly, Shreyas is often picked as a player who can be useful in India’s T20I middle order. Iyer can bring stability to the Indian batting order and he has shown in the IPL that he can be explosive when needed.
Pathan backs Shreyas Iyer for fast bowling in IPL 2026
Shreyas Iyer was last seen in the T20I squad for India in the 5-match series against New Zealand on home soil before the start of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He replaced the injured Tilak Verma in the Indian team, but did not play a single match. His last T20 match for India was against Australia in December 2023.
The former Indian fast bowler further said that after missing out on winning his first title for RCB in 2025, Shreyas Iyer would once again look to lead his team to perfection this season and showcase his superior ability against the fast bowlers. Shreyas had scored 604 runs in the competition at a strike rate of 175.07 with 6 half-centuries.
“He is a proven cricketer. He is a very important part of the core in ODI cricket. However, he has captained incredibly well in T20 cricket and performed tremendously. He has great ability against spin. Will look to take the good batting he has shown against fast bowling further.”
Will Cooper Connolly emerge as PBKS’s new spin-bowling all-rounder? -Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan was also asked whether Punjab Kings would consider including Cooper Connolly in their playing XI for IPL 2026. PBKS will need a spin-bowling all-rounder after Glenn Maxwell’s release from the team.
He replied, “Given the circumstances they will definitely think about him. However, they also have to take into account how Cooper Connolly played the World Cup in these conditions. The matches were in Sri Lanka and you were expecting good performances, but the performances were not that good.”
However, he pointed out that he can bowl left-arm spin and can also bat lower down the order. The pitches are different in BBL, where he performed tremendously and that too not for one but for two years. However, he also pointed out that the challenge will be very different here in India.
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