Haddin Defends Iyer Stance After Gavaskar Criticism: Australia's Former Wicketkeeper Cites IPL Experience

Former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has responded with a cheeky reply to Sunil Gavaskar after the former Indian great criticised overseas cricketers for commenting on Indian cricket matters. While Gavaskar expressed his displeasure at foreign players weighing in on Indian cricket affairs, Haddin defended them, noting that their close work with Indian players gives them valuable insight.

The debate erupted after Shreyas Iyer was left out of India's Asia Cup squad-a decision that has triggered widespread discussion among cricket pundits and fans alike.

With the Asia Cup serving as a crucial dress rehearsal for India ahead of their T20 World Cup title defence at home next year, discussions in the cricketing fraternity were expected. With Shubman Gill returning to the T20I setup, it was inevitable that someone would miss out, and that person was Iyer. Haddin, who currently serves as Assistant Coach for Punjab Kings, admitted he was taken aback by his IPL captain's national snub.

"Our job is to give an opinion on what's topical in world cricket. That's what we do. We coached him (Iyer) in the IPL, and I stand by my take. I was shocked that he wasn't in the squad, and I am not saying the other players selected shouldn't be there. The reason I say that is because just the way he handled our group, he was a great leader and the way he played under pressure, leading from the front. But, yeah, they are obviously going well even with players like him on the sideline," Haddin said on the Willow Talk Podcast.

Earlier, Gavaskar had taken a dig at overseas commentators, asking if they had ever seen an ex-Indian cricketer discussing another team's squad selection.

Iyer's exclusion from the Asia Cup squad has surprised many, given his remarkable performances in recent IPL and domestic seasons. Leading Punjab Kings, Iyer enjoyed a sensational season, scoring 604 runs in 17 innings at an average of 50.33. His explosive 87 off 41 balls in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians helped guide Punjab to their second IPL final in the tournament's history. In 2024, Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title after a decade, and in December 2024, he helped his home team Mumbai clinch the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Madhya Pradesh.