Explained: BCCI’s Reason For Dropping Jaiswal And Iyer From Asia Cup Squad

India’s 15-man squad for the Asia Cup 2025 was announced on Tuesday, with Suryakumar Yadav continuing as captain and Shubman Gill making his return as vice-captain.

While the squad looked strong on paper, two big names missing from the list stood out, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer.

Both players had been widely tipped for selection, but the selectors went a different way. Here’s a look at why Jaiswal and Iyer were left out.

Why Jaiswal Missed Out

Jaiswal was expected to be the third opener for India in the Asia Cup. However, once Gill was brought back and handed the vice-captaincy, it became clear the team would stick with him as a preferred opener.

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have also impressed at the top in recent T20Is, leaving no space for Jaiswal in the main squad. The southpaw has instead been named among the standbys.

Why Iyer Was Ignored

Iyer’s exclusion has been the bigger surprise. The Punjab Kings skipper enjoyed a superb IPL 2025, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07, numbers that put him among the best of the season.

But India’s current T20 batting lineup has found stability with Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma and Samson performing consistently. With limited slots available in the top and middle order, Iyer could not break in despite his IPL heroics.

The selectors appear to have opted for continuity by backing the players who have been part of India’s T20 setup since the 2024 World Cup. Iyer, who last played a T20I in 2023, has once again been left waiting for an international recall.

India’s Squad For Asia Cup 2025

Suryakumar 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