“Give Yashasvi Jaiswal A Chance”: Indian Legend’s Bold Call After IND vs PAK Final

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has called on the team management to include opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal in the main T20I squad as India prepares for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Jaiswal was overlooked for the Asia Cup 2025, with selectors opting to bring back Shubman Gill as vice-captain.

During the tournament in the UAE, India tried a new opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. Sharma, the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, had an outstanding run, scoring 314 runs at a strike rate of 200. Gill, in contrast, had a modest campaign, accumulating 127 runs at an average of 21.16.

With 15 T20Is still scheduled before the 2026 World Cup, Ashwin emphasized the need to keep Yashasvi Jaiswal in contention for India’s plans.

“Before deciding on the T20 World Cup squad, please give Yashasvi Jaiswal a go. Jaiswal and Abhishek Sharma together, I know that they are both left-handers, but that is one thing I would love for a trial,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ashwin Highlights India’s Key Learnings After Asia Cup 2025

Ravichandran Ashwin also highlighted the areas India must prioritize after the Asia Cup 2025, following several significant changes in team combination, batting order, and player selection.

“I did not even have a little doubt about India’s chances at the Asia Cup. What are India’s learnings from the Asia Cup? Abhishek Sharma is a super hit. Please play Arshdeep Singh. The pairing of Kuldeep and Varun is a proper binding going into the T20 World Cup.”

“They have to be included together somehow. Do you want to continue this Shivam Dube experiment? All of this experimentation has been a little all over the place. I like this experimentation, if it is done constructively, because it gives you a lot of clarity,” he elaborated.

Team India experimented with the batting order in the Super 4 match against Bangladesh, promoting Shivam Dube to No. 3. The team’s emphasis on batting depth also meant Arshdeep Singh missed out on most of the tournament.