Asia Cup 2025: 3 players who could have been picked instead of Shivam Dube in India’s squad

India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed the 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE on Wednesday, August 19. Of all the picks, the inclusion of Shivam Dube was controversial, as the all-rounder hasn't had great impact in T20Is. He has played 35 matches so far but consistently underwhelming with bat and ball has genuinely raised questions about his inclusion. Many expected the selectors to look beyond him, especially given India’s wealth of talent in the shortest format. Dube’s continued presence in the squad has, therefore, become one of the more surprising calls.

Dube was also part of India’s victorious 2024 T20 World Cup campaign but managed only modest contributions. In eight innings, he scored 133 runs at an average of 22.16 with a strike rate of 114.65 which are not good numbers for a middle-order batter in T20. Although, he did play a useful 27 off 16 balls in the final against South Africa, which helped India lift the trophy. But there are still queries regarding his consistency and any impact he has made in these major tournaments. A lot of strong contenders were left off the selection announcement, which leads people to think there may have been better options available to consider. Let us look at three players could have replaced him;

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal was reportedly in contention for the backup opener’s role alongside Shubman Gill, but the latter was preferred and also named vice-captain for the Asia Cup 2025. Jaiswal had been part of India’s T20 World Cup squad in 2024 but did not feature in any game as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opened the innings throughout the tournament. His exclusion from the latest squad came as a surprise to many, given his potential to provide explosive starts at the top of the order.

See Also: 'I cannot think of a reason for...' - Former India coach unhappy with exclusion of Shreyas Iyer from Asia Cup 2025 squad

Jaiswal was last seen in T20I action during the series against Sri Lanka in July 2024 and has a solid record in the format. In 23 T20Is, Jaiswal has scored 723 runs with a batting average of 35.15 and strike rate of 164.32, proving he can score quickly from ball 1. Jaiswal would have made a threatening opening pair with Abhishek Sharma. With two of the three keepers, Sanju Samson and Gill, able to bat in the middle order at No. 3 it is unfortunate this opportunity was lost for Jaiswal and India at the T20I event.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul has long been criticized for his lower strike rates during T20 cricket matches, but his IPL 2025 season showed a much more aggressive approach. The stylish right-handed batsman was able to consistently attack the bowlers right from the start, and Rahul ended the IPL 2025 season with 539 runs in 13 matches with an average of 53.90, and struck at a 149.72 rate, the highest strike rate that he had in the IPL since 2018. This was a clear indication that he had adapted his game, and made observers reconsider previously expressed concerns about his viability in difficult T20 match conditions.

For International cricket, Rahul has had a reliable T20I career scoring 2265 runs in 72 matches, with an average of 37.75, and a strike rate of 139.13. Although he has respectable figures, he has not featured for India in T20Is since their T20 World Cup semifinal loss to England in 2022. He could add real value for India during the Asia Cup 2025, especially in the friendly batting conditions of the UAE because he plays spin and pace both with relative ease. There was surprise from fans and expert observers lineup with the decision to omit him.

Shreyas Iyer

As we approached the announcement of the squad on Wednesday, we were given strong indications that Shreyas Iyer would be returning to India's T20 setup after a long absence. The stylish Mumbai batter had an outstanding IPL 2025 season, taking Punjab Kings to the finals while impressing with his sharp leadership credentials. He was one of the tournament's most consistent performers with the bat, scoring 604 runs in 17 games at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07, which shows his value in pressure moments.

Despite his IPL heroics, Shreyas has not played a T20I since December 2023. In his international career, he amassed 1104 runs from 51 T20Is at an average of 30.67 and a strike rate of 136.13. Known for his poise and artistry against spinners, Iyer could have provided stability in the middle order in the 2025 Asia Cup. The tournament was being played in the UAE where many of the pitches are spin-friendly and his absence raised eyebrows among fan and cricket observers alike.