Yashasvi Jaiswal named automatic pick for Asia Cup 2025 as Shubman Gill dumped
Published - 17 Aug 2025, 04:04 PM
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Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has slammed Yashasvi Jaiswal’s absence from the T20I setup after Rohit Sharma’s retirement amid the buzz over Shubman Gill’s potential return to the side ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE next month.
The former Indian all-rounder believes that picking Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of Shubman Gill for the upcoming continental tournament should not be an ordinary selection headache. Gill is presently in the spotlight after his remarkable IPL 2025 season and England tour, both as captain and batter.
Ravichandran Ashwin demands Yashasvi Jaiswal’s place in the Asia Cup 2025 squad
Despite his stellar recent form, Ashwin questioned whether the right-handed batter’s style perfectly suits the ultra-aggressive demands of T20 cricket.
On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal, already part of the ICC World Cup 2024 squad as a reserve opener, is there thanks to his fearless stroke play, and the former Indian off-spinner feels the left-hander deserves to get a chance ahead of Gill.
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Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash ki Baat’: “There are a few talking points regarding the Asia Cup. The first question that comes to everyone’s mind is whether Shubman Gill fits into the T20 plans because in the last World Cup, Yashasvi Jaiswal was the backup opener. So, Jaiswal automatically gets a kick-in. Rohit Sharma is not going to be a part of that team, so Jaiswal automatically gets a look-in.”
Ravichandran Ashwin highlights India’s biggest dilemma ahead of Asia Cup 2025
Furthermore, Ashwin highlighted how the Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has turned heads with his explosive performances as a T20 opener. He said that the Indian selectors are facing the trickiest headache over their opening combination for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.
The former Indian spinner further added, “Now, who is going to be that other opener? Shubman Gill had an outstanding series. Can he return to the squad? Sanju Samson has had a fabulous run as a T20 opener for India. So, I think it is a tricky state for the selectors. Can Shreyas Iyer make a comeback? There is a lot of decision-making that the selectors have to do. Even if there is a lot to talk about, the Indian T20I side has been a successful unit.”
Read Also: KL Rahul given no chance for India T20I comeback, denied even back-up spot for Asia Cup 2025
Yashasvi Jaiswal's T20 career
Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal has quickly grown into one of India’s most exciting young cricketers. He made his T20I debut against the West Indies in August 2023 and has played 23 matches in the format so far. The left-handed batter has 723 runs at a strike rate of 164.31, including a century, to his name.
Yashasvi’s most recent T20I appearance came against Sri Lanka in July 2024. He has already become a key player for the Rajasthan Royals and India in Tests. In 67 IPL matches, he has scored 2166 runs at a strike rate of 152.85. He also has 15 half-centuries and two brilliant hundreds to his name in the IPL.
His attacking style at the top of the order has made him one of the most dependable batters for the franchise. Rajasthan Royals had retained Jaiswal ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction last year due to his reputation for himself as one of India’s most fearless stroke-makers.
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