"Please give Yashasvi Jaiswal a go" - Indian legend's stunning request after IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 final

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has urged the team management to usher opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal into the main T20I squad during the lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup. The youngster was not considered for Team India's Asia Cup 2025 campaign as selectors recalled Shubman Gill into the setup as vice-captain.

The Men in Blue unleashed a new opening combination in the form of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill for the tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While the No. 1-ranked Sharma had a defining campaign as the leading scorer with 314 runs at a strike rate of 200. Gill, however, looked solid in patches, and had a comparatively mediocre campaign with 127 runs at an average of 21.16.

With India still left with 15 T20Is ahead of the World Cup in early 2026, Ashwin stressed the importance of keeping Yashasvi Jaiswal in the mix.

"Before deciding on the T20 World Cup squad, please give Yashasvi Jaiswal a go. Jaiswal and Abhishek Sharma together, I know that they are both left-handers, but that is one thing I would love for a trial," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin also stressed upon what India need to focus on following the Asia Cup 2025 campaign after a string of major tweaks with respect to the team combination, batting order, and personnel.

"I did not even have a little doubt about India's chances at the Asia Cup. What are India's learnings from the Asia Cup? Abhishek Sharma is a super hit. Please play Arshdeep Singh. The pairing of Kuldeep and Varun is a proper binding going into the T20 World Cup. They have to be included together somehow. Do you want to continue this Shivam Dube experiment? All of this experimentation has been a little all over the place. I like this experimentation, if it is done constructively, because it gives you a lot of clarity," he elaborated.

Team India went haywire with the batting order during the Super 4 clash against Bangladesh, where Shivam Dube featured at No.3. The team have also been adamant over batting depth, which kept Arshdeep Singh out of the mix for the majority of the tournament.

"He is an incredibly useful cricketer in this format, I have no doubts" - R Ashwin on Shivam Dube's impact for India in Asia Cup 2025 Final

Team India had a major decision to make regarding their team combination following Hardik Pandya's injury. While Jasprit Bumrah came in as a straight swap for Harshit Rana, the team brought in Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh into the playing XI in place of Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh.

Dube had to feature as a frontline seam bowling option, and bowled with the new ball. He conceded only a couple of boundaries in his two-over spell in the powerplay, and was able to trouble the Pakistan openers with some early movement with the new ball.

Ashwin hailed Dube's all-round display, but still stressed on the importance of having Arshdeep Singh in the playing XI.

"I've repeatedly said that Arshdeep should be in the playing XI. The reason we won the game today was Shivam Dube, I agree with that. He performed well in his role, bowled well in the first two overs, and played an important knock as well. He is an incredibly useful cricketer in this format, I have no doubts. But, when you are taking that route, you are benching a bowler like Arshdeep," Ashwin said.

"I understand everyone wants batting till No.8, but even today after being 20-3, Rinku Singh came to bat in the last over. I understand that the game's fate is undecided till the last over. But Arshdeep or Kuldeep can still come out and hit those 2-3 runs, we have to prepare them for that," he concluded.

Team India's next white-ball assignment comes in thr form of a tour of Australia, where they will play three ODIs and five T20Is, beginning from October 19 onwards.