'It is just not fair to these two kids' - Ravichandran Ashwin slams selectors for leaving out star players from Asia Cup 2025 squad

R. Ashwin criticized India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, calling it unfair to drop star players while Shubman Gill returned and was named vice-captain.

Ravichandran Ashwin (Image Credit: Chennai Super Kings)

The announcement of India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad has sparked heated debate across the cricketing world, with veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin voicing strong disapproval over the omission of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer.

Both players were part of India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, but found themselves left out when the selectors revealed the squad for the continental tournament.

Jaiswal, in particular, was expected to retain his place after serving as the back-up opener in the T20 World Cup and maintaining a formidable T20 strike rate of 164.31. Instead, the selectors opted to bring back Shubman Gill, who not only made the squad but was also elevated to the vice-captaincy role.

The move left many fans and pundits questioning the selection logic. Speaking about this on his YouTube channel, Ashwin bashed the selectors committee and mentioned that it wasn't fair for Jaiswal and Iyer.

Also read: India's Squad for Women’s ODI World Cup 2025: Renuka Singh Thakur returns, Shafali Verma fails to make comeback

“Genuinely, I understand Shubman Gill's selection. He is also the vice-captain. He has scored a lot of runs for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. He has credentials to be picked in the T20I setup. When you have Yashasvi Jaiswal as the third opener in the T20 World Cup 2024, it means removing someone from the World Cup squad and bringing in Shubman Gill. I mean, it's okay, I am happy for Shubman, but I'm very sad for both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer. It is just not fair to these two kids,” said Ashwin.

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer’s omission has surprised many, given his reliability in the middle order and ability to anchor chases. Critics argue that by overlooking him, India may be missing a stabilizing presence in high-pressure games.

For now, the spotlight shifts back to Gill, who will have to justify the faith shown in him as vice-captain. The Asia Cup will provide the stage, and performances on the field will determine whether the selectors’ bold calls were justified or a blunder waiting to haunt them.

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