<p>In this work, the deformation behavior of austenitic stainless steel (ASS) 301 thin strips during asymmetric rolling (ASR) was analyzed, and the effects of different differential speed ratio (DSR) on the mechanical properties and microstructure of ASS thin strips were discussed. A finite element model with consideration of crystal plasticity was proposed to characterize the microstructural evolution of ASS during ASR, and both numerical simulation and experimental results show that the yield and tensile strengths of the material increase with the increase of differential speed ratio (DSR), while elongation decreased by 15% when DSR increased from 1 to 2 in the meantime. The additional shearing force introduced by ASR leads to non-uniform deformation of the grains, enhancing the yield and tensile strengths of rolled thin strips. Also, an increase in the DSR accelerates the transformation from high angle grain boundaries to low angle grain boundaries, worsening the plasticity of rolled thin strips. Additionally, the transition from SR to ASR is accompanied by a discernible change in grain orientation, giving rise to the formation of distinct textures which enhances yield strength and tensile strength. Overall, the worsening plasticity of rolled thin strips during ASR can be attributed to the coupling effects combining increased low angle grain boundaries, heightened dislocation interactions and distinct textures induced by additional shearing force generated due to. the unequal linear speed of the upper and lower roll during ASR.</p>