Former India cricketer and current chief selector Ajit Agarkar admitted that it was “unfortunate” to leave Yashasvi Jaiswal out of India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 in UAE. Agarkar explained that the left-hander’s omission was primarily due to the rise of Abhishek Sharma, who has not only delivered consistent performances with the bat but also offers a valuable bowling option in the shortest format.

Agarkar emphasised that the decision was far from easy, as the selectors had to weigh in-form stars like Abhishek, Tilak Varma, and Sanju Samson, all of whom have been instrumental in India’s strong run over the past season.

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“It’s unfortunate. What Abhishek has done over the last year, plus his ability to bowl, is crucial. One of these guys was always going to miss out,” Ajit Agarkar said at the squad announcement press conference alongside captain Suryakumar Yadav. Despite missing out on the main squad, Jaiswal has been named among the standby players, alongside Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel.

Interestingly, under Suryakumar’s leadership, India has maintained an outstanding 85% win record in T20Is, winning 17 out of their last 20 games—none of which featured Jaiswal. This further underlines how tough it was for the youngster to break into a settled unit.

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Jaiswal, however, remains one of India’s brightest batting prospects. He played a key role in the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad, though he didn’t feature in any match. His domestic and IPL form continues to impress, with 559 runs in IPL 2025 at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 159.71, his best since 2023.

In T20Is, he has accumulated 723 runs in 22 games at 36.15, including a century. For now, Yashasvi Jaiswal will have to wait, but his performances suggest it’s only a matter of time before he makes a comeback.