Ravichandran Ashwin, a former India all-rounder and cricketing stalwart, has raised serious questions about the competitiveness of the Asia Cup 2025 following a one-sided opening match. Afghanistan comfortably defeated Hong Kong by 94 runs, with the latter collapsing to 94/9 in their chase of 189. The lopsided nature of the contest prompted Ashwin to call for structural changes to keep the tournament relevant and engaging.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin suggested the inclusion of stronger teams or even an India A side to make the competition more meaningful. “They can almost include a South Africa and make it an Afro-Asia Cup to bring competitiveness. As it stands, adding an India A team would at least make this a contest,” Ashwin said.

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The veteran spinner also took a swipe at Bangladesh’s current form, expressing doubt about their ability to pose any real threat. “We haven’t even considered Bangladesh in the mix. They’re all struggling… how will they compete with India in this tournament?” he added.

Ravichandran Ashwin stressed that for the Asia Cup to remain a marquee tournament, it needs unpredictability.

“I hope someone else wins this edition. Only then will there be true competition in Asia. Teams don’t even pick Kuldeep or Varun properly, and India’s batting line-up is full of match-winners,” he said, noting India’s dominance.

Calling the tournament a “curtain, not a curtain raiser” for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Ravichandran Ashwin emphasised that it shouldn’t be seen as a major benchmark for form.

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India remains the most successful side in Asia Cup history with eight titles, while Sri Lanka is the defending champion. The ongoing edition features eight teams — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka — but Ashwin’s remarks highlight growing concerns about the tournament’s balance and competitive edge.