India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad has already sparked heated debates, and former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has further intensified the storm by directly questioning head coach Gautam Gambhir over the exclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer. The selection committee, led by Gambhir and chairman Ajit Agarkar, stunned fans by leaving out Jaiswal, Iyer, and even Mohammed Siraj despite their outstanding form in IPL 2025.
While Yashasvi Jaiswal found a place only as a reserve, Iyer didn’t even make it to the standby list—a move that has left many baffled. Manoj Tiwary, who has had a strained relationship with Gambhir since his playing days, wasted no time in calling out the Indian head coach. He reminded everyone that Gambhir himself once praised Jaiswal as a talent capable of walking into India’s T20I setup at any point.
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Ironically, now that Gambhir is the decision-maker, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been sidelined. Speaking to ANI, Tiwary said, “Two deserving candidates have been left out of the team. One is Shreyas Iyer, and the other is Yashasvi Jaiswal. Gambhir earlier said Jaiswal can walk into India’s T20 side any day. Now that he is coach, there is no place for him.”
#WATCH | Kolkata | On India Asia Cup 2025 squad announcement, Former Indian Cricketer & West Bengal Minister, Manoj Tiwary, said, “Two deserving candidates, Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal, have not been able to make it to the team… If you see old videos of Gautam Gambhir, he… pic.twitter.com/EglnpTfLXy
— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2025
The former Bengal captain also defended Shreyas Iyer, pointing out his consistency across formats. Iyer not only guided Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 Final with crucial knocks but also captained Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title in 2024. More recently, he played a key role in India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 triumph, proving his value in pressure situations.
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Despite such credentials, Iyer’s omission has left experts and fans questioning the transparency of the selection process. Tiwary even suggested making team selections public to ensure accountability. India will begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign on September 10 against the UAE before locking horns with arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai—a clash now surrounded by even more intrigue.
