Ashwin Shocked By Jaiswal’s Omission From Asia Cup 2025 Squad
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed surprise over some of the choices made by chief selector Ajit Agarkar while picking India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025 — especially the exclusion of young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
While Shubman Gill has made a comeback to the T20I setup as vice-captain, Jaiswal — who has been one of India’s most consistent performers since his debut — failed to find a place in the 15-member squad. This decision has sparked debate among fans and experts.
Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, said that leaving out Jaiswal after he performed well in every format could negatively impact the youngster’s mindset. The off-spinner is concerned that such a setback might push Jaiswal to focus more on personal milestones rather than playing his natural, fearless attacking cricket, just to stay in contention for future selections.
Ashwin highlighted that Jaiswal has been India’s most successful Test debutant in recent times and has made the most of every opportunity given to him. Yet, despite delivering excellence, he has lost his slot in the T20I squad — which Ashwin believes can be disheartening.
Looking forward, Ashwin said Jaiswal will now have to “go back to the drawing board” and wait for another shot. According to him, with Shubman Gill re-entering the XI and even being promoted to a leadership role, only one opening spot is now up for grabs — most likely against Abhishek Sharma, meaning Jaiswal will have strong competition for his comeback.
Ashwin Defends Jaiswal’s Omission – Calls Him a Rare, Selfless Talent
Continuing his reaction to India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, Ravichandran Ashwin strongly defended Yashasvi Jaiswal, pointing to the left-hander’s outstanding T20I strike rate of 165 (164.31) — one of the best among Indian top-order batters.
Ashwin emphasised that what makes Jaiswal special is not just his numbers, but his fearless, team-first attitude. According to him, Jaiswal doesn’t play for personal records or slow the game down to protect his wicket — instead, he always looks to attack if the ball is in his zone, keeping the team’s momentum ahead of his own statistics.
Ashwin also admitted that such selfless, high-impact players often take longer to get consistent recognition in Indian cricket, where strike rates and numbers sometimes get judged differently. He expressed disappointment that despite being exactly the kind of player modern T20 cricket demands, Jaiswal was dropped to accommodate Shubman Gill in the squad.
In his closing remarks, Ashwin hinted at the harsh nature of T20 cricket, saying players now feel the need to safeguard their place in the team, which can put pressure on them to change their natural, attacking games.
