Key points
- Tournament dates: 9-28 September 2025; India’s 15-member squad announced by BCCI Men’s Selection Committee.
- Leadership: Suryakumar Yadav named captain; Shubman Gill appointed vice-captain.
- Big calls: Jasprit Bumrah included; Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal miss out from main squad.
- Top order: Abhishek Sharma to open with Shubman Gill; Tilak Varma to bolster middle order with captain Suryakumar.
- Bowling core: Pace: Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana; Spin: Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy.
- All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube offer balance.
- Keepers: Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson.
- Standbys: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna.
New Delhi: The Asia Cup 2025 tournament is going to start from 9 September next month. Which will conclude on 28 September. For this, the 15-member Team India squad was announced by the selectors on Tuesday
India’s 15 for Asia Cup 2025
- Suryakumar Yadav (captain)
- Shubman Gill (vice-captain)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Tilak Varma
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Jitesh Sharma (wk)
- Axar Patel
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Harshit Rana
- Rinku Singh
Reserves: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna
Selection takeaways and role clarity
- Power start: Abhishek Sharma’s recent white-ball form and fearless powerplay hitting earn him the opening slot alongside the more anchored Shubman Gill an intent-plus-stability combo.
- Middle-order engine: Suryakumar Yadav’s 360-shot range remains India’s tempo setter, with Tilak Varma’s left-handed control giving match-up flexibility through the middle overs.
- Finishing and floaters: Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh provide finishing depth; team can float one of them if early wickets fall or if a left-right balance is needed.
- Dual keepers: Jitesh Sharma’s strike-rate and intent suit the finisher’s role, while Sanju Samson adds top-order adaptability; selection likely match-up and venue driven.
- Pace pack: Bumrah leads as enforcer and death specialist, Arshdeep offers new-ball swing and left-arm angle at the death, Harshit Rana adds hit-the-deck pace for middle overs.
- Spin threats: Kuldeep’s wrist-spin wicket-taking combined with Varun Chakravarthy’s mystery spin can squeeze and strike through middle overs on slower tracks.
- All-round balance: Axar Patel supports spin while reinforcing the lower-middle order; Hardik and Dube give a second seam option and extra batting cushion.
Notable omissions and standbys
- Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal miss the main 15 despite pre-announcement chatter; Jaiswal remains on standby, keeping the door ajar for injury/conditions-based swap.
- Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, and Prasidh Krishna round out reserves, offering wicketkeeping depth, a high-impact middle-order option, spin-bowling all-round cover, and extra pace respectively.
Probable XI templates
- On batting-friendly surfaces: Gill, Abhishek, Suryakumar (c), Tilak, Hardik, Samson/Jitesh (wk), Dube, Axar, Kuldeep, Bumrah, Arshdeep.
- On spin-friendly surfaces: Bring in Varun Chakravarthy for a pacer or for Dube depending on conditions.
- On pacey tracks: Harshit Rana for an extra seam option, with Axar/Kuldeep choice based on match-ups.
Strategic talking points
- Powerplay aggression vs wickets in hand: Abhishek’s license pairs with Gill’s control; the management’s tolerance for risk up top will shape middle-over plans.
- Five-bowler vs 6-bowling options: Hardik, Dube, Axar allow India to run 6+ bowling options without compromising batting depth.
- Death-overs sequencing: Bumrah-Arshdeep as the primary closers; Axar/Kuldeep/Varun to choke middle overs to preserve Bumrah overs for the end.
- Match-ups: Tilak’s left-hand presence disrupts leg-spin match-ups against a right-heavy core; Varun’s mystery adds uncertainty for teams reliant on data-led prep.
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