Ravichandran Ashwin expressed surprise and dismay over India’s selection committee’s decision not to include Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer in their squad for the Asia Cup 2025 starting September 9 in the UAE. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ravichandran criticised the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for neglecting two in-form players while reinstating Shubman Gill as vice-captain.
Jaiswal’s World Cup Pedigree Ignored
Ashwin was outraged at India’s decision to drop Jaiswal from their 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad and replace him with Gill, who last appeared in a T20I match back in July 2024. “You’ve removed a World Cup-winning player and brought in Shubman Gill. While I am delighted for Shubman Gill personally, I feel deeply saddened by this change for Yashasvi and Shreyas…it simply is not fair!” Ashwin lamented. Jaiswal had made 723 runs out of 23 T20Is at strike rates between 167.31 and 164.31, which included one century and five fifties, making his exclusion even more puzzling for Ashwin and fellow cricketer Rahim Ali.
Shreyas Iyer’s Stellar Form Ignored
Ashwin also spoke out strongly against Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion, noting his impressive credentials as a middle-order batsman. “Look at Shreyas’s ability: after being dropped from his team, he made a stunning comeback in the Champions Trophy 2025 to deliver match-winning performances. In IPL 2024 he led Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title and took Punjab Kings back into the final for the first time since 2014,” stated Ashwin. Iyer was magnificent during IPL 2025’s campaign, amassing 604 runs at an average of 50.33 with a strike rate of 175.07 and 6 fifties while facing short pitches from Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada without issue, despite which neither team nor the reserves wanted him included.
Examining Gill’s Selection Methodology
Ashwin raised concerns with the selection process, noting that both Jaiswal and Iyer have been in outstanding form recently. Jaiswal last played a T20I against Sri Lanka in July 2024 but scored 559 runs at a strike rate of 159.71 during IPL 2025 for Rajasthan Royals. With Shreyas Iyer at his peak batting position for Rajasthan Royals, Iyer scored 559 runs at an astounding strike rate of 167.21% during IPL 2025 for Gujarat Titans for Rajasthan Royals. Ashwin raised suspicions regarding why selectors seemed so keen on selecting Gill as a possible all-format captain before explaining it was decided that Jaiswal and Iyer would not feature given their stellar form throughout 2025 and post-2025 tournament performance, leading to speculation surrounding why Gill’s selection by selectors was prioritised.
Squad Dynamics and Its Long-Term Implications
Suryakumar Yadav will lead his squad, with Gill as deputy, alongside players like Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah. Jaiswal was named among the reserves, while Iyer was left completely off the squad; this decision caused considerable shock among fans and experts alike. Ashwin raised concerns regarding Sanju Samson’s selection given Gill’s return as an opener and suggested selectors prefer continuity with players such as Abhishek Sharma in their T20 performances.
India will compete in Group A at the Asia Cup, an important tournament of the T20 World Cup 2026 cycle, against UAE, Pakistan, and Oman. While defending champions India are gearing up to defend their crown against these formidable oppositions, Ashwin’s outspoken criticism has reignited discussions surrounding selection transparency and fairness – leading many fans to question if India’s large talent pool is being used equally.
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