Asia Cup India squad: Shubman Gill back in T20 team, made vice-captain; Suryakumar Yadav to lead

India announced their squad for the Asia Cup 2025, which is set to begin from September 9, 2025, in the UAE.

 

India’s newly appointed Test skipper Shubman Gill made a comeback to the T20I side, and has been made the vice-captain for the tournament. Gill last played a T20I match in 2024 - against Sri Lanka at Pallekele. He replaces Axar Patel as the deputy skipper. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, while announcing the squad in Mumbai, said that Gill's form in England was the deciding factor.

 

India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was also included in India's 15-member squad, despite doubts on his participation because of the home Test series against the West Indies in October. It will be Bumrah's first T20I tournament since last year's World Cup, which India won.

 

While left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Jitesh Sharma (as the back-up wicketkeeper batter) have been included, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is among the five standby players.

 

One surprising exclusion was Shreyas Iyer, who was in great touch guiding Punjab Kings to the IPL final earlier this year. "We have got some serious options in T20 squad... sometimes not the easiest squad to pick but good headache to have," Agarkar said, while explaining why it was difficult to accommodate Iyer in the squad.

 

India, the reigning Asia Cup champions, are in Group A of the Asia Cup along with Pakistan, Oman, and UAE. They will open their campaign on September 10 against the hosts UAE, and will take on Pakistan in a high-stakes clash on September 14.

 

India have eight Asia Cup titles - the last coming in 2023. Sri Lanka were the winners in 2022, the last time the tournament was played in T20 format.

 

India's squad for Asia Cup 2025

 

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

 

Stand-by players for Asia Cup 2025

 

Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

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