India’s Asia Cup 2025 Squad Announced: Suryakumar Yadav Captain And This Player Named Vice-Captain

Mumbai (India) August 19: The BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has included Shubman Gill in India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025. Gill hadn’t played in India’s last three T20I series, but his impressive performance as captain and batter in the Test series against England earned him a spot. He scored 754 runs at an average of 75. Gill will be the vice-captain, with Suryakumar Yadav leading the team.

Shubman Gill has experience as Vice Captain

Gill’s last T20I was in July 2024, but he was the vice captain of the side in that series against Sri Lanka. Something which was repeatedly mentioned by both Suryakumar and chief selector Ajit Agarkar in the press conference on Tuesday. Before that, he led India for the first time in a T20I series in Zimbabwe. As Gill was an equally important member of the ODI and Test squads, the selectors decided to remove him from the shortest formats. When a big tournament like the Asia Cup comes in, there was never going to be any doubt about Gill’s spot.

What actually started the debate was the way Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson performed as an opening pair in Gill’s absence. Both Abhishek and Sanju scored a couple of centuries each and pretty much cemented their places in the T20I XI. The selectors, however, have decided to bank on Gill’s quality.

Gill has steadily built an impressive T20 resume, showcasing both consistency and flair. In 21 T20 Internationals, he has scored 578 runs at an average of 30.42 and a healthy strike rate of 139.27, including one century and three fifties. His ability to anchor and accelerate was further highlighted in IPL 2025, where he amassed 650 runs in 15 innings at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 155.87, with six fifties. Notably, Gill is among the select few Indians with centuries across all three international formats.

Sanju Samson’s place is not confirmed in starting 11

Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma have formed a formidable opening pair in T20Is for India over the course of the last eight to ten months. Hence, it is no surprise that the duo retain their place in the squad for the Asia Cup. But it is unlikely that they would open the innings together as Gill is set to go back at the top of the order.

This, in fact, puts a doubt on Samson’s place in the XI. Samson has rarely achieved success batting in the middle-order and if he is not opening, then it is unlikely that he would be India’s first-choice keeper. That spot might go to Jitesh Sharma, who was rewarded for his performance in the IPL 2025 season for the eventual winners, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Jitesh has made a name for himself as a finisher and if India are going with Gill, Abhishek, Tilak and Surya as their top four with Hardik and Axar to follow, Jitesh is more suited to bat at No.7 than Sanju.

“Sanju Samson was opening the innings because Gill and Jaiswal were not playing, and Abhishek, with the way he performed, it was hard to look beyond him,” said chief selector Ajit Agarkar, all but confirming India’s opening pair for the Asia Cup.

The selectors have also opted to stick with Tilak Varma, who has been in phenomenal form in international T20Is. Tilak Varma scored back-to-back centuries against South Africa last year in the T20I series, and he was also In good form in the five-match series against England.

“We have lovely players around with amazing skills, which makes my job easier,” said captain Suryakumar Yadav.

No Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer

The squad has no place for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer in the main squad. The latter set the stage on fire in the IPL for the Punjab Kings. However, the selectors have opted not to give him a chance for the Asia Cup.

However, the selectors have named Yashasvi Jaiswal in the standbys list. The other four in the list are Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel.

Jasprit Bumrah had informed the selectors about his availability for the Asia Cup last week. Hence, it is no surprise that the ace speedster is in the main squad for the tournament. Bumrah will be ably supported by Arshdeep Singh, who has slowly and steadily emerged as a force to reckon with in the shortest format.

India Asia Cup 2025 Squad List: Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Rinku Singh.

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