Former India batter S. Badrinath has shared his thoughts on the selection for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, raising concerns about the treatment of consistent performers like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan. While he welcomed the decision to back Shubman Gill by appointing him as vice-captain, Badrinath felt the selectors overlooked players who had outperformed Gill in T20 cricket over the past year.
Gill, who last featured in a T20I in July 2024, has scored 578 runs from 21 matches at an average of just above 30 with a strike rate of 139.27. In comparison, Jaiswal has been more impactful, amassing 723 runs in 23 games at a blistering strike rate of 164.31.
Despite these numbers, Jaiswal finds himself only on the reserves list, while Sudharsan, who won the IPL 2025 Orange Cap with more than 700 runs, was not considered at all. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Badrinath questioned whether Gill’s selection was influenced by recency bias, especially after his record-breaking performances on the England Test tour.
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“I see it as a positive that selectors are backing a youngster for the future. But what about Jaiswal, who has done even better than Gill in T20Is? And why has Sai Sudharsan missed out despite his IPL 2025 numbers? Even Sanju Samson may now struggle to find a place in the XI,” S Badrinath remarked.
He further added that such decisions reflect a long-standing pattern in Indian cricket. “This has been happening forever—picking players based on their most recent form, even if it comes in a different format. It’s not entirely wrong, but it’s a 50-50 call.”
Badrinath also highlighted that Gill’s appointment as vice-captain owes much to his leadership skills and batting success in red-ball cricket. He tipped Gill to open the batting with Abhishek Sharma, a partnership that selectors seem keen to invest in.
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“Gill hasn’t been a regular in India’s T20 setup over the last 2-3 years. Yet, his success against England and leadership qualities have clearly influenced this call,” S Badrinath said.
India begins their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against the UAE on September 10, with Gill expected to play a central role at the top.
