Young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been one of the brightest stars in T20 cricket since his international debut against the West Indies in Guyana on August 8, 2023. In just 23 T20Is, the left-hander has amassed 723 runs at an impressive strike rate of 164.31, yet he surprisingly missed out on a place in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad.
The decision raised eyebrows among cricket fans and experts, given Jaiswal’s remarkable consistency and his stellar performance in the IPL 2025, where he scored 559 runs in 14 matches for Rajasthan Royals at a strike rate of 159.71, smashing six half-centuries.
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The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee opted to back Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, while also retaining Shubman Gill as a key opener for the continental tournament. India will kick off their campaign against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on September 10, before taking on arch-rivals Pakistan at the same venue on September 14.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen was among those surprised by Jaiswal’s exclusion. Responding to a fan query on X (formerly Twitter), Pietersen described the omission as “strange” and called Jaiswal “a major star.” His comments quickly went viral, adding more weight to the ongoing debate around India’s selection decisions.
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“Strange omission! Yash is a major star!” Pietersen tweeted, while also declaring that Jos Buttler is “England’s greatest white-ball batter by a country mile.” Buttler, who turned 35 on September 8, boasts 5412 ODI runs and 3700 T20I runs from 193 and 137 matches, respectively, and famously led England to their 2022 T20 World Cup triumph over Pakistan at the MCG.
yes by a country mile! Strange omission! Yash is a major star!
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) September 8, 2025
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s omission highlights India’s fierce competition for top-order spots as they prepare for a high-stakes tournament. With Gambhir and Agarkar shaping the team for a balanced XI, Jaiswal may have to wait for his next opportunity, despite being one of the world’s most explosive young talents.
