Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal has questioned Yashasvi Jaiswal’s absence in India’s Asia Cup squad, which was announced on Tuesday. Jaiswal is among the five stand-by players, but he is not part of the main 15-man squad.

The left-hander scored 559 runs in 14 matches of IPL 2025 for Rajasthan Royals at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 159.71. The southpaw was also India’s back-up opener in the 2024 T20 World Cup and last played in July 2024 for India.

“Sometimes you feel surprised that a player like Yashasvi Jaiswal is not in the team. Jaiswal, anyway, plays attacking cricket. He even plays brilliantly in Test matches. I don’t know, they’ve given him rest or they are looking at something, and like that,” Madan Lal said in an interview with ANI.

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has been named as the team’s vice-captain and Lal said Gill is going to play all three formats for India.

Lal said, “(On Gill) I agree with them. I am with the selectors… Kya Kaaran hai usko hataya gaya hai (I don’t know why Hardik Pandya has been removed). But Gill is a good choice as he is performing well. In the coming time, it is possible that Gill will play in all three formats.”

On the other hand, the 1983 World Cup-winning player showered praise on Jasprit Bumrah for nailing his yorkers in death overs in T20I cricket.

“Don’t compare Test cricket and this cricket (T20Is) because Jasprit Bumrah has bowled well in Tests, and here, we know what he does in death overs, he bowls brilliantly. It’s crucial to provide breakthroughs in the beginning.”

India will open their Asia Cup campaign against the UAE at the Dubai International Stadium on September 10.