'He Goes Out': Ashwin Points Out T20 World Cup Winner's Exclusion From Asia Cup Squad

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-08-19 07:11:58 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-15 07:16:17

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 6

---

Asia is set to take centre stage once again with the Asia Cup slated to start later this month. However, the absence of senior players like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel has raised quite a few eyebrows. Adding fuel to the fire, Ravichandran Ashwin, India's veteran off-spinner, has pointed out the exclusion of another senior player, Shreyas Iyer, from the squad.

Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Ashwin said, "Someone like Shreyas Iyer, who was part of the T20 World Cup winning team and has experience in Asian conditions, not being picked is surprising."

"When you pick someone like Shivam Dube and you pick him specifically for his abilities to bat and bowl, when you pick him in preference to someone like Shreyas, who has been part of the T20 World Cup winning team, then there must be a reason behind it," he added.

India's stand-in skipper KL Rahul, who is expected to lead India in the Asia Cup, echoed Ashwin's sentiments and stated that Iyer's experience could have come in handy. "Obviously, when you talk about the balance of the team and the combination, there are priorities and preferences. We felt Shivam Dube gives us that balance in the squad," said Rahul during the pre-departure press conference. "Any tournament that you play, you want to put your best team out on the park. Obviously, there are selectors and management who have to take those calls, and we have to respect their decisions," he added.

The snubbing of experienced players has definitely raised questions among fans and experts alike. With the Asia Cup just around the corner, one can only hope that these selection mysteries will be unraveled soon enough.

Go!