3 players Yashasvi Jaiswal can replace in the Indian T20I team ft. Shubman Gill

India recorded a splendid triumph in the final of the 2025 Asia Cup as they beat Pakistan for the third time in the tournament. The defending T20 World Cup champions have been by far the best team in the shortest format over the last two years.

Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill made up India's first-choice opening combination during the Asia Cup. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is one of the country's best opening options, was named as a reserve.

Could India's T20I team get even stronger? With Jaiswal in the mix, the Men in Blue could add another brilliant explosive batter who is solid against both pace and spin. The southpaw's record in the format is impressive, and he is fairly consistent for someone who bats at his tempo.

On that note, here are three players Yashasvi Jaiswal can replace in the Indian T20I team.

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#3 Shubman Gill

India v Pakistan - Asia Cup Final - Source: Getty

Shubman Gill had a disappointing Asia Cup. He didn't cross the 50-run mark even once, and barring a promising cameo in the Super 4 stage against Pakistan and an unbeaten knock in the team's first game of the group stage, he didn't do anything of note.

Gill is an immensely talented player, but he hasn't quite cracked the T20 format just yet. He would walk into the 20-over side of any other country in the world, but India are so stacked at the top of the order that the standards are so much higher.

Gill's T20I record doesn't make for pretty reading, and outside the Indian Premier League, he hasn't been able to display the required consistency. The prospect of Abhishek and Jaiswal teeing off is simply too tempting to resist.

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#2 Tilak Varma

India v Pakistan - Asia Cup Final - Source: Getty

Tilak Varma was the hero of the Asia Cup 2025 final as he played a sensational knock against Pakistan to take his team to the trophy. The left-hander has done well in T20Is lately, with two centuries and an all-time iconic knock to his name already.

However, Tilak might have to wait a bit longer before his game is refined enough to be a regular in the middle order for India. Currently suited to the No. 3 role, the youngster hasn't been at his best through the middle overs, particularly against spin.

Jaiswal has no such issues. Solid against both pace and spin, he's clearly a more well-rounded player than Tilak. Even though he has never batted in the middle order before, the Rajasthan Royals man has all the tools to perform that role successfully.

Moreover, if Jaiswal comes in as an opener, it will allow the likes of Gill to potentially bat at No. 3 instead of Tilak. Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav would also get their ideal spots in the top four if the Mumbai Indians left-hander is not in the picture.

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#1 Shivam Dube

India v Pakistan - Asia Cup Final - Source: Getty

Another player who starred in the final of the Asia Cup, Shivam Dube has made a few valuable contributions for India in crunch matches. However, he simply hasn't delivered consistently enough for the Men in Blue.

Dube, who had a poor IPL for the Chennai Super Kings, isn't the spin-hitter he once was. And he also has clear shortcomings against pace, with hard lengths and wide yorkers troubling him on a consistent basis. The tall southpaw's bowling has gone from strength to strength, but his primary skillset has more often than not let the team down.

Jaiswal's inclusion would strengthen an already deadly batting lineup, irrespective of where he bats. And while India won't have the part-time medium pace of Dube to call upon, the benefits might just outweigh the drawbacks.