India's squad for Asia Cup 2025: Ex-spinner R Ashwin has criticised the selectors for not including Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer in India's squad for Asia Cup 2025. He has reckoned that both Jaiswal and Iyer are one of those batters who don't think about personal milestone and instead are willing to take risk for the team and also revealed that how this might change their methods didn't help them get selected.

Jaiswal was also the backup opener for India's 2024 T20 World Cup, but wasn't part of the first 15 for the Asia Cup side, and Shubman Gill has replaced him. Since both these players were in contention for the same position for a long time, Gill had also become the vice-captain and thus has strengthened his position in the playing XI. And since Gill might open, Ashwin said that this left Jaiswal to fight for that one position, and he doesn't deserve that, owing to how talented he is in this format.

“Not only has his slot gone, but there’s a leadership role in that. Now, he’s left with one spot — he needs to fight for Abhishek Sharma’s place. Or he’ll have to go and play in the middle-order in the IPL. He averages 36, with a strike rate of 165 in this format. It’s very hard to find a guy like Jaiswal. He doesn’t play for himself sometimes. I have seen a lot of batters who do. Shreyas is the same," Ashwin was quoted as saying on his YouTube channel.

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“Both of them play less for their average and more for strike rate. If the ball is there to be hit, they take the chance. It took a long time for India to get players with that brand of cricket. Now you got those players… I’ll say if I am Jaiswal or Shreyas, now my chance is gone, so from the next time if a risk has to be taken, I won’t. I’ll play for myself because I need to secure my place. Unfortunately, you’ll have to play for that in T20s," he said.

Jaiswal has represented India in 23 T20Is till now, where he has scored 723 runs at a staggering strike rate of 164.31. India's T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav is the only player to have scored more runs at this strike rate.

‘What can a guy do?’: Ashwin on Jaiswal

Ashwin further revealed that Jasiwal hasn't disappointed the team by performing consisstently and that he deserves to be treated better.

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“Jaiswal got a chance in Test cricket. He took it with both hands. Easily the most successful Test batter to make a debut for India in the recent past. He excelled in whichever format you gave him a chance. What can a guy do apart from excellence? He showed excellence, and now, in that spot, his chance is gone. What can he do now? Go back to the drawing board. I wish him well when he gets a chance in the future," he concluded.