Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, long seen as one of India's brightest batting prospects, has finally spoken about his shock omission from the Asia Cup 2025 squad.
Despite being among the country's most consistent T20I performers in recent times, the 23-year-old was left out of the team that travelled to the UAE, a decision that surprised many given his record. Since making his India debut in 2023, Jaiswal has played 23 T20Is, scoring 723 runs with an impressive strike rate, including five half-centuries and a century.
Yet when the selectors named the squad, which featured Shubman Gill as vice-captain, there was no place for Jaiswal or senior batter Shreyas Iyer.
Speaking to Mashable India, Jaiswal maintained a calm and measured response to the snub,
choosing not to show frustration.
"I don't think about. It's all in the hands of selectors. The decisions are taken according to the team combination. I will do whatever I can," said Jaiswal.
He further added, "When my time comes, things will fall into place. I just want to keep working on myself and keep working hard. "
Jaiswal's words reflect the resilience he has shown ever since battling poverty in his early life to establish himself as an international cricketer. A member of India's T20 World Cup 2024-winning squad, though unused in the playing XI, he regards that triumph as a turning point.
"My ultimate dream is to make the team win the World Cup. The T20 World Cup win in 2024 was truly special for me. We got such a good welcome in India when we came back home," he recalled.
While disappointment over the Asia Cup snub lingers, his strong T20I numbers and hunger suggest that Jaiswal remains firmly in the selectors' minds for future assignments, especially in the run-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The southpaw is poised to return to the Indian team in the upcoming Test series against West Indies, and after that, he is likely to find a place in the limited overs series against Australia as well.
