Gautam Gambhir's arch nemesis vows to go on protest if Shreyas Iyer is not picked in Indian T20 team: 'We will fight for him'

The debate around Shreyas Iyer’s place in India’s T20I team has intensified once again after his impressive performances in the ongoing (Indian Premier League) IPL 2026 season. This time, it is former cricketer Manoj Tiwary, who backed the Punjab Kings captain to play in the shortest format for India and even threatened to protest if the batter continues to be ignored.

Iyer has been in outstanding form this year as well. In a recent match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 69 runs off just 33 balls to guide his team to a massive chase of 220 runs, winning the game with seven wickets in hand and seven balls to spare. His consistency has once again put pressure on the selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

More from Firstcricket

This is not the first time Iyer has delivered in the IPL. In the previous season too, he scored over 600 runs and led Punjab Kings to the final after 11 years. Despite such strong performances, he was left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad. The 31-year-old last played a T20I match for India in 2023 and only returned to the squad briefly during the New Zealand series due to an injury to Tilak Varma.

Sehwag and Tiwary back Iyer

Manoj Tiwary said that it would be unfair if Iyer is still not picked. “He showed great composure in his batting. If, even after this, he is not selected for the Indian team, we will go on a protest and fight for him. We will try that he gets what he deserves,” Tiwary said while speaking on Cricbuzz.

“We have already seen that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have taken retirements. The Indian team needs one player who can help the team win by showing full control and help the team win ICC trophies,” he added.

Former India opener Virender Sehwag also supported Iyer. “Shreyas finished the match for his team. He did the same in the previous match. Shreyas has been doing this for a long time. I am surprised that he wasn't able to get a spot in India's World Cup team. He did so well in the previous IPL, leading Punjab Kings to the final. I just hope he is able to get a place in the Indian team for the next T20 World Cup,” Sehwag said.

“I will repeat once again that I am surprised that Shreyas wasn't a part of India's T20 World Cup team. I hope that he gets his spot in the T20 team after this year and he is able to cement his place,” he added. Iyer has scored 137 runs in four matches so far in IPL 2026 at an impressive average of 68.50 and a strike rate of 187.67.