The BCCI announced India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad with Suryakumar Yadav as captain and Shubman Gill as vice-captain. The return of stars like Jasprit Bumrah and Rinku Singh adds depth, blending experience with youthful energy as India prepares for the continental showdown and builds momentum toward the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Highlights
- Suryakumar Yadav to captain India; Shubman Gill appointed deputy.
- Gill returns to T20Is for the first time since June 2024.
- Kuldeep Yadav, Rinku Singh, and Jasprit Bumrah included.
- Shreyas Iyer was left out, while Yashasvi Jaiswal has been named as a standby.
- Ajit Agarkar confirms this is not the final squad for the T20 World Cup 2026.
- India faces UAE on September 9, Pakistan on September 14, and Oman on October 19.
- The UAE will host the tournament, featuring eight teams.
On Tuesday, the BCCI announced India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, ending weeks of speculation. Star batter Suryakumar Yadav has been handed the captaincy, while opener Shubman Gill makes his much-awaited return to T20Is as the vice-captain. This marks Gill’s comeback in the shortest format since June 2024.
Shubman Gill, who recently impressed as India’s Test captain by guiding the team to a 2-2 series draw against England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, makes his T20I comeback. Meanwhile, senior batter Shreyas Iyer was left out and Yashasvi Jaiswal listed as standby. In bowling, Kuldeep Yadav returns, while pace ace Jasprit Bumrah is included with careful workload management.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that the squad is not final for the 2026 T20 World Cup, set to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. “We are managing workloads carefully. Jaiswal will have to wait, but we are blessed with incredible talent,” Agarkar said. Captain Suryakumar Yadav also praised the depth in the squad, saying, “We have lovely players around with amazing skills, which makes my job easier.”
India’s Asia Cup campaign begins against UAE on September 9, followed by the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan on September 14, and the final group-stage encounter against Oman on October 19.
The Asia Cup 2025 will once again be played in the T20 format, unlike the 2023 ODI edition where India beat Sri Lanka to claim the trophy. Although India is the official host, the tournament will take place in the UAE as a neutral venue, featuring eight teams including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Oman, and UAE.
With just six months left before the T20 World Cup 2026, the Asia Cup will serve as a crucial testing ground for India’s combinations, strategies, and leadership under Suryakumar Yadav.
