India announces Asia Cup squad with surprises
Published: 19 August 2025, 6:39:30
India has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, leaving fans surprised with a few unexpected exclusions and inclusions.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side, with Test captain Shubman Gill serving as his deputy.
One of the most talked-about names ahead of the announcement was Yashasvi Jaiswal. While he didn’t make the main squad, he has been named in the standby list. In a major surprise, Shreyas Iyer and Riyan Parag were left out altogether, despite their strong performances.
On the flip side, Kolkata Knight Riders’ explosive batter Rinku Singh earned a call-up to the main squad, while Jitesh Sharma has been picked as the second wicketkeeper.
The selectors also focused on balance, especially in the all-rounder department. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube have been included as pace-bowling all-rounders, while Axar Patel takes the spin all-rounder spot. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy will handle specialist spin duties.
Among pacers, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and KKR’s Harshit Rana have been named.
Notably, in-form fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been left out, raising some eyebrows.
The standby list includes Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal. These players may be called up if any injuries occur in the main squad.
India’s 15-member Asia Cup squad:
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Harshit Rana and Rinku Singh.
