Ahead of the Asia Cup, the opening batsman’s coach opens up about his exclusion from the main squad, dissects Ajit Agarkar’s squad selection and more
Yashasvi Jaiswal (then 19 years) alongside Jwala Singh after under-19 World Cup in 2020 (Pic: X/@123Jwala)
Team India is all set for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, set to take place from September 9, but will miss Yashasvi Jaiswal, who should have been in the squad, not only according to cricket fans but also his childhood coach. Ahead of the continental tournament, Jwala Singh, the Indian opening batsman’s coach, opened up about his snub, saying, "Yashasvi should have been in the main squad.”
While Singh’s need to include the star batsman is understandable, he adds, “Now that the squad is already announced, there must have been a lot of thought process behind the selection. But I think Yashasvi should have been in the main squad, because of his overall performances.”
It is not only Jaiswal but also Shreyas Iyer who hasn’t been included in the squad. This was one tournament that many felt he could be included in, but turns out the Asia Cup is yet another tournament he will be missing out on in this calendar year. The decision came earlier when Team India's chief selector, Ajit Agarkar and skipper Suryakumar Yadav announced the squad for the tournament, leading many to question their choices.
Giving credit where it is due, Singh believes there is more to the decision. The city-based coach shared, "Shreyas, of course, is in a good form as we all saw in the IPL 2025. But I totally agree with Ajit Agarkar when he said that the 30-year-old needs to wait for his opportunities.”
"We often keep criticising selectors for the decisions they make, but we fail to understand that even they have limited spots, and they can't include all the players," he added.
With Mumbai producing some of the top cricketers in the country, Singh says there could have been several other players who were not included in the squad that could have definitely made an impact. He says, "Players like Sarfaraz (Khan) and Shivam (Dube) can make an impact, but if you ask me about one player, I will again take Yashasvi's name".
Even though Jaiswal has been excluded from the Asian cricket tournament, his childhood coach is not concerned about his selection for the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2026. "Of course, players for the World Cup will be picked on the performances in this Asia Cup. But I don't really think that Yashasvi's chances for the T20 World Cup 2026 are going to diminish, only because he was not picked for the Asia Cup. Till then, his form will also be under scrutiny," Singh explained.
Considering his previous performances, in Tests, T20Is, and ODIs, Singh said Yashasvi, for him, is an all-format player. The coach is also hopeful of the left-hander stepping up to fill the shoes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in all formats of the game.
Last but not least, Jwala Singh extended his wishes to the "Men in Blue" and is hopeful that the Suryakumar Yadav-led men bring the continental showpiece home.
The Asia Cup 2025 will kick off on September 9. Team India will begin their campaign against the UAE on September 10.
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