Why Jaiswal and Iyer Missed Out: Agarkar Explains India’s Asia Cup Picks

India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar spoke about why Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer were not included in the Asia Cup squad announced on Tuesday, August 19. He said the call was made to keep the right balance in the team and also based on the players’ recent form, not because of any particular weakness in them.

Abhishek Sharma’s All-Round Form Edges Out Jaiswal for Asia Cup Spot

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been impressive in Tests with over 2,000 runs and has 723 runs from 23 T20Is, had to make way for Abhishek Sharma. The left-hander has been in superb form this year, scoring 279 runs in T20Is at a blistering strike rate of 219.68, including a highest score of 135. His added value as a left-arm spinner made his selection even more suitable for subcontinental pitches.

“With regards to Yashasvi, it’s unfortunate again. Abhishek Sharma has been outstanding over the past few months with the team, and he also gives us a bowling option. One of them was always going to miss out, and unfortunately, Yashasvi has to wait for his chances,” Agarkar told the reporters in a press conference.

Shreyas Iyer Misses Out Despite Strong IPL Season

Shreyas Iyer had a fantastic IPL 2025 season, scoring 604 runs in 17 matches at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 175, with a top score of 97 not out. Even with such great form and his leadership skills, he just missed out on making a comeback. Ajit Agarkar explained that leaving him out was not about blaming the players or the selectors.

“In terms of Shreyas, it’s again unfortunate. You tell me who he can replace in this squad. It’s not his fault, nor ours—it’s just that only 15 can be picked, and at the moment, he has to wait for his chances,” Agarkar added.

India squad for Asia Cup 2025: Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh

India’s Asia Cup 2025 Group A Fixtures

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