‘X-factor will be missed…’- Former star player blasts on India's Asia Cup 2025 squad selection
Former star player blasts on India's Asia Cup 2025 squad selection for not picking X-factors.
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The former off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh, has lashed out at the BCCI selection committee for leaving out Mohammed Siraj from the 15-member squad of the Blue Brigade for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which will begin in the second week of next month. Despite being the standout bowler of the last series in England. Siraj was ignored in a place.
Before the Asia Cup 2025 squad selection, the right-arm pacer, who picked up 23 wickets during the seven-week trip to England in the red-ball series, played his last T20I in July 2024. Overall, in 16 innings of the shortest format, the Hyderabad-born has picked up 14 wickets at an average of 32.28 and an economy rate of 7.79. During IPL 2025, he bagged 16 wickets at an economy rate of 9.24.
“I feel that Siraj’s name should have been included as well. Siraj bowled very well in the recent series. Yes, he did a lot of bowling in England, but he also got adequate rest. So he could have been included. If he had been taken, the team would have looked even stronger.” Harbhajan Singh expressed on his YouTube channel.
Harbhajan Singh blasts India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad selection
Harbhajan also highlighted the surprising exclusion of Shreyas Iyer from the 15-member squad. The right-handed batter, despite his dominating performance in the Champions Trophy 2025, didn’t earn a spot. Iyer also led the Punjab Kings to the runners-up of the IPL 2025 after winning the title with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
“I had hoped he (Shreyas Iyer) would get a place in the team. He scored a lot of runs, played in the IPL final, and was in very good form. I thought his name could have been there. As for whose spot he would take, you have to see whose place it would have been. When someone has to be included or left out, a spot is made. But I did not see Shreyas Iyer’s name there, which surprised me a little.” The former spinner shed light.
Iyer, whose last T20I clash came in December 2024, has clubbed 604 runs in 17 innings of the IPL 2025 at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07, notching six half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 97 runs.
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