Asia Cup: Will Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal make T20I comeback?
What's the story
The Indian cricket team selectors are unlikely to include star batters Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, as per Times of India. The tournament will be played in T20I format from September 9 to September 28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It must be noted that Iyer enjoyed a jaw-dropping 2025 Indian Premier League season with Punjab Kings. Jaiswal also boasts a strong T20 record. Here are further details.
Report
Jaiswal asked to focus on red-ball cricket
The report stated that Jaiswal has been asked to focus on red-ball cricket, while Iyer is overlooked. Notably, the former has emerged as a vital part of the Indian Test team. "Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a strong series in England, and middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer are likely to be left out. Jaiswal has been advised by the selectors to concentrate on red-ball cricket," said the source. Neither Jaiswal nor Iyer has played a T20I match in over a year.
Campaign
Their numbers in IPL 2025
Iyer had a stellar IPL 2025 season as PBKS finished as runners-up. He finished with 604 runs at 50.33, having clobbered six fifties. He tallied 39 maximums, the most by a captain in a single edition. His strike rate (175.07) is the third-best among batters with 600-plus runs in a season. Meanwhile, Jaiswal finished IPL 2025 with 559 runs from 14 games at 43 (SR: 159.71). The Rajasthan Royals star registered six fifties.
Selection process
Suryakumar Yadav to attend squad selection meeting
The squad for Asia Cup 2025 will reportedly be selected on August 19 in Mumbai. T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav will attend the meeting, despite recovering from sports hernia surgery at BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. This confirms that Yadav will remain as the captain of the T20I team for now.
Team dynamics
Shubman Gill's chances of making the cut dwindle
There were earlier reports of Shubman Gill being named vice-captain for India's Asia Cup 2025 squad. However, recent updates suggest his selection is uncertain as the team management wants to stick with the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. This leaves Gill in a tough spot for a place in the squad.
Tournament details
India placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Oman, and UAE
The Asia Cup 2025 will feature India in Group A with Pakistan, Oman, and UAE. Group B will have Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong. India will kick off their campaign against UAE on September 10 before taking on arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14. Their last group stage match will be against Oman on September 19.