India’s World Cup Hero Baffled by Hardik Pandya’s Asia Cup Demotion

The Asia Cup 2025 Indian cricket team squad has stirred up some controversy and surprise recently, especially after the announcement that all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been removed from the vice-captaincy role. This news comes from a report published on August 21, 2025 bit the HT Sports Desk.

The selection of the team, led by the Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee, includes Shubman Gill playing as vice-captain on a team to be led by Suryakumar Yadav. Notable absences from this year’s team include Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer.

A surprised Madan Lal, a former India cricketer, aired his thoughts on the squad selection. He specifically expressed bewilderment over Jaiswal’s exclusion and the committee’s decision regarding Pandya.

Moreover, Pandya’s removal from the vice-captaincy isn’t a recent occurrence as the last time he was given the role was around the 2024 World Cup. Commenting on these decisions, Madan Lal said, “Sometimes you feel surprised that a player like Yashasvi Jaiswal is not in the team…I don’t know why Hardik Pandya has been removed.”

In other news, the 2025 Asia Cup will be held in the UAE from September 9-28, with India being the defending champions. On top of this, the Indian squad now includes players like Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, who have formed a dominant opening pair in T20Is over the course of the last eight to ten months. However, with the inclusion of Gill, it’s anticipated that he will be the one opening for India.