MUMBAI– In a significant move ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, India’s selectors have recalled opener Shubman Gill to the T20I squad, naming him vice-captain under Suryakumar Yadav, while bringing back T20 World Cup stars Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. The tournament will be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28.
Gill’s inclusion comes after a prolific Test series in England where he amassed 752 runs, including a double century. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Gill’s absence from recent T20 fixtures was due to scheduling across formats, adding that his leadership credentials were never in doubt. “Shubman was the vice-captain the last time he played T20 cricket, right after the World Cup. His recent form only strengthens his case,” Agarkar explained.
However, the omission of Shreyas Iyer, despite his strong showing in IPL 2025, has raised eyebrows. Mohammed Siraj, who played all five Tests in England, and pacer Prasidh Krishna were also left out. Instead, the pace attack will be led by Bumrah, supported by Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, with Shivam Dube providing backup. In spin, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy join Kuldeep Yadav, while Rinku Singh adds all-round depth.
Among the standbys are Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, though they may not travel to the UAE given the short tour.
Suryakumar Yadav, who returns to captaincy after recovering from surgery, welcomed Gill’s elevation. “It’s not a surprise. He was already in the fray when we began a new T20 cycle after the World Cup,” he said.
Defending champions India are placed in Group A with Pakistan, Oman, and the UAE. Their campaign begins against the hosts on September 10, followed by the much-anticipated clash with Pakistan on September 14.
India will play 15 more T20Is after the Asia Cup in preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
India’s Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Standbys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal. (Source: IANS)
