"It is just not fair on both those kids" - R Ashwin's stunning statement after India announce 2025 Asia Cup squad

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his displeasure over the omission of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer from the Asia Cup 2025 squad. The 38-year-old said that he felt very sad for the duo not to get a spot in the 15-man squad. The continental event, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates, will start on September 7.

Jaiswal will be a part of the standbys for India, while Iyer did not find his name in the main squad or in the standbys. Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, "Ash ki Baat":

“Genuinely, genuinely, the selection of Shubman Gill is okay. He has been announced as the vice-captain as well. All that aside, as a player, he has also made a lot of runs. He has scored a lot of runs for the Gujarat Titans. He has the credentials to be selected in the team. Selections have always been debatable, if you look at the last 20 years, 30 years."

"When selections happen, everyone discusses, ’this could have happened, that could have happened.’ This has always been the case. But this thing, the credential that a player built, the stability that you had with the player. When you have Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, everybody went to a World Cup and triumphed there, and when you have Jaiswal as your third opener, to remove a player from a World Cup-winning squad, you have brought Shubman Gill into the team. I am happy for Shubman, but I am very, very, very sad for Shreyas and Yashasvi Jaiswal. It is just not fair on both those kids," he added.

Ashwin also questioned the exclusion of Shreyas Iyer. He said that the right-handed batter had done very well, taking sides like Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings to an IPL title win and a final, respectively. He said:

"I know you have maps forward, but what does Shreyas Iyer lack? He’s won an IPL with KKR. KKR missed an opportunity by releasing him into the auction. He took a team like Punjab Kings, which last qualified in 2014, a guy with such strong leadership and batting skills, batting at number three. He is not batting like the Shreyas Iyer of 2017 or 2018."

"There is so much difference in his game. We were saying he had issues with the short ball, which even I noticed. He’s hitting the likes of Kagiso Rabada 20-30 rows back at the Narendra Modi Stadium. He’s hitting the likes of Bumrah down the ground. I am very, very, very sad for both of them," Ashwin added.

Former India all-rounder and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar also criticized Iyer's omission from the T20I side. He felt that perhaps the 30-year-old was not as liked as some other players.

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Ravichandran Ashwin feels Yashasvi Jaiswal may have to consider moving to the middle-order to play for India in T20Is

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said that Yashasvi Jaiswal would now need to compete with Abhishek Sharma to find a place in India's playing XI in T20Is. He added that the southpaw may have to consider moving to the middle-order and praised him for being a selfless batter. He said:

"Whatever format you gave him a chance, he has excelled in that. What else can a player do apart from being excellent? He showed excellence and lost his chance in that slot. What does he have to do now? He has to go back to the drawing board. I really wish him well, he gets a chance. The point is not only has he lost his slot, but there is a leadership role that has come in his slot. Now he’s left with only one slot. He will have to fight for the spot occupied by Abhishek Sharma, or he will have to play in the middle-order in the IPL."

"He averages 36, strikes at 165. It is very tough to find a batter like Jaiswal because he does not play for himself. Same with Shreyas Iyer. If the ball is there to be hit, they will take the chance. It has taken India a long time to get such a brand of players. If I am Jaiswal, if I am Shreyas, I have lost my chance. The next time, if I need to take that risk, I won’t take it. I will play for myself because I need to save my place, and it is an unfortunate thing," Ashwin dadded.

A few days before the squad selection, Ashwin had referred to Jaiswal as an automatic pick in the Asia Cup 2025 squad. He felt that, having gone as a reserve opener for the 2024 T20 World Cup, he was next in line to open the batting. This is especially following Rohit Sharma's retirement from the shortest format.