Yashasvi Jaiswal To Find Place In Asia Cup 2025 Squad? R Ashwin Says "First Question..."
Former Indian cricket team spinner R Ashwin believes that Yashasvi Jaiswal should be given a chance at the Asia Cup 2025.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal should be considered for Asia Cup 2025 in the absence of Rohit Sharma, as per R Ashwin
- Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma are leading candidates for opening spots in India squad
- Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer remain contenders for selection in the Asia Cup squad
Former Indian cricket team spinner R Ashwin believes that Yashasvi Jaiswal should be given a chance at the Asia Cup 2025. The squad for the competition will most likely be selected in the next few days and questions remains over the opening spots. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma have emerged as the top choices but both Jaiswal and Shubman Gill remain in contention. Ashwin said that in the absence of Rohit Sharma, Jaiswal should be included in the squad considering he was the back-up opener in the last World Cup. He added that the selectors should also look into Shreyas Iyer as an option.
“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,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“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 make. Even if there is a lot to talk about, the Indian T20I side has been a successful unit,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Sunday left out seasoned batters Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan while announcing their 17-member squad for Asia Cup and the preceding tri-series in the UAE later this month.
Babar and Rizwan, who helped Pakistan to their first-ever ICC tournament win in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE, have been away from the format for a while.
Both Babar and Rizwan made their last appearance in the shortest formats in December 2024.
In the lead-up to the Asia Cup which will be played in T20 format in the UAE from September 9, the Salman Ali Agha-led side will play a tri-series against Afghanistan and the hosts UAE at Sharjah from August 29 to September 7.
(With PTI inputs)
Rohit Sharma
India Cricket Team