Former Pakistan star gives bold verdict on Asia Cup snub of these India stars

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali expressed surprise over the absence of Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami from India’s Asia Cup squad. On Tuesday, the BCCI announced a 15-member team for the tournament, naming Shubman Gill as vice-captain under skipper Suryakumar Yadav. While Jaiswal was included among the five reserves, Iyer, Siraj, and Shami were left out entirely.

Speaking on his YouTube show Game Time, Basit remarked that if the four players were part of Pakistan’s setup, they would easily be in the country’s top “A” category, emphasizing the depth of talent India enjoys in T20 cricket.

“Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami—had they been in Pakistan, they would all be in the A category,” Basit said.

Commenting specifically on Iyer’s exclusion, he criticized the BCCI for not giving the batter his due.

“Iyer ke saath zyada bura hua hai. He deserved a place in the team,” he stated.

Basit further backed India as the favorites to win the Asia Cup, suggesting that only Sri Lanka pose a real challenge.

“They have an explosive squad, and I believe only Sri Lanka can match them,” he added.

Iyer’s omission has been met with backlash, particularly after his stellar performances in recent tournaments. The Punjab Kings skipper was India’s top run-scorer and the second-highest overall in the Champions Trophy 2025, scoring 243 runs in five matches at an average of 48.60, including two half-centuries with a best of 79.

He was also brilliant in IPL 2025, finishing as the sixth-highest run-getter with 604 runs in 17 innings at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. His campaign featured six fifties and a highest score of 97*.