India Asia Cup 2025 Squad Announcement Live Updates: Shubman Gill Named Vice-Captain, Bumrah Included; Jaiswal and Iyer Miss Out - Full Squad

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India's 15-member Asia Cup 2025 squad was announced by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, featuring Suryakumar Yadav as Captain and Shubman Gill as Vice-Captain.

"The team India has picked means they will play two spinners and two quicks (Varun, Axar, Bumrah, Arshdeep) plus Hardik with Abhishek as the 3rd spinner and Dube to bowl an over or two if needed," said Harsha Bhogle on Team India's squad.

"It also means that only one of Tilak or Samson can play since having Gill as vc means you will have to play him. You could of course play both Varun and Kuldeep but hardly anyone in the modern game goes in with only 7 batters."

“It means that Hardik/Dube/Rinku/Axar will float from 5-8. They could use Tilak at 5 but as we have seen with MI, it doesn't work too well. Alternately, Tilak bats at 3 and Jitesh plays as a finisher at no 6/7.”

• Test skipper Shubman Gill appointed as vice-captain of India’s T20 squad for the Asia Cup starting September 9 in the UAE.
• Jasprit Bumrah included in the 15-member squad despite doubts over his availability due to the upcoming home Test series against the West Indies in October.
• Gill replaces Axar Patel as deputy to skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
• "Gill's form in England was something we expected but he exceeded it all," said chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
• This will be Bumrah's first T20 tournament since last year's World Cup.
• Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav drafted into the squad.
• Jitesh Sharma selected as the back-up wicketkeeper batter.
• Yashasvi Jaiswal named among the five standby players.
• "It's unfortunate Jaiswal has had to miss out but he will have to wait," Agarkar added.
• India is placed in Group A of the Asia Cup alongside Pakistan, Oman, and UAE.

"Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson - two very good opening options to have alongside Abhishek Sharma. They'll take a call in Dubai [on who plays in the XI]," says Ajit Agarkar.

"With regards to Shreyas, I mean, we can replace that. Again, no fault of his. Nor is it ours. It's just that he can pick 15 and, at the moment, he might have to wait for his chance," says chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

"With regards to Yashasvi Jaiswal, I mean it's just unfortunate again. Abhishek Sharma, what he's done over the last few months or a year or so that he's been with the team. Plus, that he can bowl a little bit gives us an option, if required, by the captain," says Ajit Agarkar.

“One of these guys was always going to miss out. It's just unfortunate that Jaiswal might have to wait for his chance,” he added.

Prasidh Krishna

Washington Sundar

Riyan Parag

Dhruv Jurel

Yashasvi Jaiswal

“We have lovely players around with amazing skills which makes my job easier.”

"He has exceeded all our expectations," says Ajit Agarkar.

“It's very unfortunate for Yashasvi Jaiswal, with Abhishek doing well, he can bowl as well - one of the two was going to miss out - same with Shreyas, not his fault.”

“We have had a nice break...We are trying to look after him.”

Press conference to start soon, pings Devendra Pandey.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has reached the board headquarters, with the selection meeting expected to begin shortly.

"If you look at it very logically, there is nothing much to talk about. The team almost picks itself, but if there can be some surprise, I'm genuinely speaking, I've said this before as well, I think Shreyas Iyer deserves to be in that side. But even if Shreyas Iyer makes the cut, it would be a bit of a surprise because every guy who played in the T20 has performed. If Shreyas Iyer has to play, he has to bat at No. 3," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

"If I am selecting Shreyas Iyer, I would want him to bat at No. 3, the place where he expressed himself. He was unstoppable; nobody could stop him throughout the IPL. He gave a tough time to both spinners and fast bowlers," he added.

Afghanistan: Squad yet to be announced

Bangladesh: Squad yet to be announced

Hong Kong: Squad yet to be announced

India: Squad yet to be announced

Oman: Squad yet to be announced

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.

Sri Lanka: Squad yet to be announced

United Arab Emirates: Squad yet to be announced

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has confirmed venues and groups for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which will be played in the T20I format featuring eight teams. The five full-member nations — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan — will be joined by UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong.

Groups:

• Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, Oman
• Group B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong

Though India is the formal host, an agreement between the BCCI and PCB ensures that for the next three years, tournaments hosted in either India or Pakistan will provide a neutral venue for the opposing team.

• Venues: Dubai (11 matches) and Abu Dhabi (8 matches)
• Opener: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong on September 9 in Abu Dhabi

Group Stage Matches

vs UAE – September 10, Dubai

vs Pakistan – September 14, Dubai (high-voltage clash)

vs Oman – September 19, Abu Dhabi

Super 4 Stage (September 20–26)

Top 2 teams from each group qualify

If India tops Group A → all Super 4 matches in Dubai

If India finishes 2nd → one Super 4 game in Abu Dhabi, two in Dubai

Final

Venue: Dubai

Date: September 28

With Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel certain in the XI, attention turns to Shreyas Iyer, whose spin-hitting, improved short-ball game and solid IPL 2025 for Punjab Kings boost his chances. 

Jitesh Sharma, fresh from a title-winning season with RCB, is the frontrunner for the reserve keeper-batter slot thanks to his power-hitting and versatility as a finisher. 

Rinku Singh, despite featuring in India’s last T20I series, looks vulnerable after a modest IPL and lack of all-round utility in slow UAE conditions. 

With Nitish Reddy injured, the all-rounder race is between Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag—Sundar’s off-spin and batting add depth, Dube offers Nitish-like balance, while Riyan has yet to prove consistency. 

In spin, Kuldeep, Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar are set, with Sundar/Riyan as possibles. 

For pace, Hardik, Bumrah (if fit) and Arshdeep are certainties, leaving Siraj, Prasidh or Harshit Rana fighting for one spot.

Team India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has arrived at the BCCI HQ ahead of the team selection.

With the ICC T20 World Cup just six months away limiting squads to 15 players, the Asia Cup offers India some breathing space as the ACC permits 17-member rosters. This flexibility could ease immediate selection headaches and broaden the rehearsal pool. The big question, however, is whether head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav will take advantage of the extra slots when the squad is named this afternoon.

Batters: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer

Wicket-keepers: Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma, Dhruv Jurel

All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag

Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi

Pacers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna

Abhishek Sharma - 535 runs, 16 innings, 193.84 SR, 100s: 2, 50s: 2, 6s: 41

Sanju Samson - 487 runs, 16 innings, 171.47 SR, 100s: 3, 50s: 1, 6s: 34

Tilak Varma - 413 runs, 9 innings, 170.66 SR, 100s: 2, 50s: 1, 6s: 27

Hardik Pandya - 320 runs, 13 innings, 145.45 SR, 50s: 1, 6s: 13

India's Asia Cup 2025 schedule:

September 10: v UAE, Dubai

September 14: v Pakistan, Dubai

September 19: v Oman, Abu Dhabi

Other T20Is before T20 World Cup 2026

India tour of Australia - 5 T20Is (Oct-Nov 2025)

India vs South Africa - 5 T20Is (Dec 2025)

India vs New Zealand - 5 T20Is (Jan 2026)

Aakash Chopra's Indian squad for 2025 Asia Cup: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas lyer, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Jitesh Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav

India’s Test captain Shubman Gill may face the axe for the Asia Cup 2025 squad, with Yashasvi Jaiswal reportedly ahead in the pecking order. A BCCI source told TOI that Jaiswal’s ability to find boundaries in the Powerplay gives him the edge, reminding that Gill was only a reserve during India’s T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies last year. While Gill remains a proven performer in Tests and ODIs, selectors appear unconvinced about his T20I impact — at least for now.

While much of the focus is on Shubman Gill’s potential inclusion in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, Rinku Singh’s position is also uncertain. Once hailed as India’s designated finisher after his famous five sixes for KKR, Rinku has seen his role diminish. 

A subdued IPL 2024 and 2025, coupled with Gautam Gambhir’s preference for multi-dimensional players, has further reduced his importance. 

With Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya locked in as top-order certainties, Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal returning to contention only intensifies the squeeze. 

Former selectors believe Rinku’s spot is the most vulnerable, with Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma offering more versatility as finishers.

Amid all the selection debates, one name towers above the rest — Abhishek Sharma. Backed by consecutive explosive IPL seasons and a No.1 ICC T20I batting ranking, the 24-year-old has evolved from an IPL prodigy into India’s most vital T20 opener.

The first press conference for India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad announcement is expected to be delayed due to weather-related disruptions.

Kuldeep Yadav’s coach Kapil Pandey has tipped the Kuldeep–Varun partnership to be India’s game-changer in the Asia Cup. “If they bowl together, opposition will have no time to think. Kuldeep is very hungry right now, and Varun complements him well. Against Pakistan, it could be a night to remember," he was quoted as saying in a TOI report.

Former India cricketer Chetan Sharma has backed India to clinch the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, scheduled in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from September 9 to 28. The T20I tournament will see eight teams battle it out, with Dubai set to host 11 matches and Abu Dhabi staging eight fixtures.

"The players who will be selected will be the best for the country, and I am very proud of the way we are playing cricket, the way we played against England. We will win the Asia Cup," Sharma told reporters.

The Asian Cricket Council has officially announced the eight participating teams for the Asia Cup 2025. Five full-member nations — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan — will be joined by UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. The tournament will feature two groups: Group A comprising India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.

The BCCI has confirmed back-to-back press conferences at its Mumbai headquarters today. At 1:30 pm, India men’s Asia Cup 2025 squad will be unveiled, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressing the media.

This will be followed by India women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and chief selector Neetu David holding a press conference to announce the Women's ODI World Cup 2025 squad.

Since his comeback last year, Varun Chakravarthy has been in red-hot form. Armed with nine variations, the 33-year-old mystery spinner has already bagged two five-wicket hauls in T20Is and one in ODIs during India’s Champions Trophy triumph. With 33 wickets in just 18 T20Is, he is being viewed as a crucial X-factor ahead of the Asia Cup.

After spending the England tour on the sidelines, Kuldeep Yadav is eager to reclaim his spot in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad. The left-arm wrist-spinner, who last featured in the 2024 T20 World Cup with 10 wickets in five games, boasts 69 scalps in 40 T20Is and remains a potent weapon on UAE’s spin-friendly tracks.

India’s spin attack appears formidable with Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy leading the charge, while Gautam Gambhir may back Washington Sundar for his all-round utility. In the lower order, Jitesh Sharma’s impactful IPL-winning performances put him ahead of Dhruv Jurel in the race for the second wicketkeeper’s slot.