 "India's squad for Asia Cup 2025: Should Gill and Jaiswal get picked just because they are available?")
After a grueling but somewhat successful England tour, Team India is set to return to the realm of T20 cricket, where the stage is set for them to once again stamp their authority in Asia. As the responsibility of being a Team India cricketer comes with a heavy ask of indulging in non-stop cricket and keeping the demanding fans satisfied with an incessant spell of excellent cricket and constant victories, the Asia Cup 2025 will stand as a true Test of the World T20 champions’ resoluteness.
With a phenomenal batting line-up and an equally formidable bowling attack, Team India will enter the tournament as major favourites. When you have fiery batters like Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson at the top, who can take the game away from the opposition in a matter of the first six overs, and after that, a prolific striker of the cricket ball, Suryakumar Yadav comes in at No.3, and not to forget the impact Tilak Varma has laid out in the last 12 months while batting in the top order or No.4, the team wins more often than not.
Moreover, if in case the top order fails, then the team has crisis managers like Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, and Hardik Pandya available. These batters can not only play according to the situation but can shift the gears to an extreme extent at will and more often than not deliver a lethal blow to the opposition.
Thus, the batting does not seem to have any frailty, and it cannot get any better, right? While there might be less room for improvement, there are still options available that can add value to the already desirable batting line-up. In case you are wondering who is being talked about here, then please read the title of the piece again. No! Please don’t take the trouble, it is about Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsBoth Gill and Jaiswal are available for the Asia Cup 2025 . So, should BCCI go ahead and pick them in the squad for the upcoming continental cup? While there is no direct answer to it, let’s ruminate on both sides of the coin and figure out whether Jaiswal and Gill do have a case or not, and whether they can be picked owing to their availability.
The case for Gill and Jaiswal
Both Gill and Jaiswal were in red-hot form in England. Both accumulated sizeable figures in the 5-match affair against England. India captain Gill finished the series as the leading run scorer with 754 runs, and Jaiswal, on the other hand, amassed 411 runs. Given the level of tough cricket they endured, they can prove to be key batters in the side and enhance India’s chances of conquering the Asia Cup. Moreover, both batters have scored tons of runs in the IPL over the years. India can utilise Gill’s ability to anchor and rotate the strike, while Jaiswal’s aggressive batting can set the tone for India to attain or chase a big total.
Hence, it’s not just about availability; they have the potential and qualifications to come into the reckoning for the Asia Cup selection.
Their availability is certainly a plus, but is it enough to guarantee them a spot in the team?
The bigger picture
While form and availability are crucial, they shouldn’t be the only factors driving selection. As mentioned, Team India’s batting order has wreaked havoc in world cricket in the last year. So, what is the need to modify the winning combination? A slight chance can hamper the whole balance. Hence, Gill and Jaiswal might be available, but no way they will walk into the playing XI. Plus, there is Shreyas Iyer in the mix as well. If one were to make a trifecta, then Iyer, Jaiswal, and Gill would fit in that order. But picking players solely based on availability can be a recipe for disaster.
However, given that Gill and Jaiswal have the right skillset and experience to back their selection, they can be put into the reserves and can be called up in case a player gets injured. In that case, their availability will prove to be a major blessing.
The verdict
In conclusion, while Gill and Jaiswal’s availability is certainly a factor, it shouldn’t be the sole reason for their selection. And whether one should be picked purely because he is available is a query that does not hold any relevance, at least not in Indian cricket, where there is a fierce competition for every position from top to bottom.
The selectors need to factor in a number of aspects to make the eventual selection. Player’s form, fitness, role-specific requirements, and team balance- everything needs to be studied before pushing a name. Having considered everything, if Gill and Jaiswal get selected for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, then rest assured, it will not be just because they were available.
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