BCCI Breaks Silence On Snubbing Yashasvi Jaiswal For Asia Cup 2025: "Bowling Option..."
Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out as BCCI announced the Indian cricket team squad for Asia Cup 2025.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal did not make the cut as India announced their squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Shubman Gill was included as the third opener alongside Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma
- "What Abhishek has done over the last year or so, plus giving us a bowling option, is required," Agarkar said
Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out as BCCI announced the Indian cricket team squad for Asia Cup 2025. Shubman Gill was appointed vice-captain for the competition and according to chief selector Ajit Agarkar, he will be the third opener along with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. As a result, Jaiswal was not included in the main squad but did find a spot in the reserves list. Agarkar revealed that it was unfortunate that Jaiswal did not find a place and highlighted the bowling option that Abhishek provides to the team.
“It's unfortunate. What Abhishek has done over the last year or so, plus giving us a bowling option, is required. One of these guys was always going to miss out," Agarkar said during the press conference.
Gill's last T20 match was against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2024 and he has now replaced Axar Patel as the deputy of skipper Suryakumar Yadav. The Asia Cup gets underway on September 9 in the UAE.
"Gill's form in England was something we expected but he exceeded it all," chief selector Ajit Agarkar said during the squad announcement press conference here.
There were some lingering doubts on Bumrah's availability largely due to the tournament's proximity to the home Test series against the West Indies in October.
But the selectors opted to pick him nevertheless and this will be Bumrah's first T20 tournament since last year's World Cup.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav too has been drafted in, while Jitesh Sharma will be the back-up wicketkeeper batter.
Another prominent name missing in the squad was Shreyas Iyer, who showed tremendous form while guiding Punjab Kings to the IPL final earlier this year.
Agarkar blamed it on the abundance of T20 talent that makes it difficult to accommodate him.
"We have got some serious options in T20 squad...sometimes not the easiest squad to pick but good headache to have," Agarkar said.
India is placed in Group A of the Asia Cup alongside Pakistan, Oman, and the UAE.
India squad for Asia Cup: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Jitesh Sharma, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav.
(With PTI inputs)
Sanju Samson
India Cricket Team