Test skipper Shubman Gill was on Tuesday named India’s T20 vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, marking his return to the shortest format after more than a year. Gill last played a T20I against Sri Lanka in 2024 and now replaces Axar Patel as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy in the 15-member squad.
Gill’s appointment signals his growing leadership role, with chief selector Ajit Agarkar noting that the 25-year-old had already been earmarked for the position after the last World Cup. “Gill’s form in England was something we expected, but he exceeded it all,” Agarkar said. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer, who scored heaps of runs in the IPL 2025, failed to get a place in the team list.
A selection dilemma at the top
Gill’s return raises questions over India’s opening combination. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have formed a strong pairing at the top, leaving the management with the challenge of finding Gill a slot. Samson could be pushed down to the middle order, but Agarkar admitted that Abhishek’s performances have made him difficult to overlook.
“Sanju was playing because Shubman and Yashasvi were not available, and so was Abhishek. But Abhishek’s performances clearly make it hard to leave him out. Plus, his bowling is handy,” Agarkar explained.
The Gujarat Titans skipper has strong credentials to reclaim his place at the top, having scored more than 600 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate above 150.
Bumrah back to boost bowling attack
Jasprit Bumrah’s return was another major highlight of the squad announcement. While there had been doubts about his workload ahead of the home Test series against the West Indies in October, selectors decided to include him for the Asia Cup.
This will be Bumrah’s first T20 tournament since the 2024 World Cup. Agarkar said there was no rigid workload plan in place but confirmed that fast bowlers, including Bumrah, are being closely monitored. “There’s no written plan at the moment. We are trying to look after him. Most fast bowlers are monitored and it won’t change,” he said.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav also returns, while Jitesh Sharma has been chosen as the back-up wicketkeeper. Agarkar praised Jitesh’s growth, citing his impact for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025.
Standby names and Sundar’s miss
Yashasvi Jaiswal headlines the list of five standby players alongside Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel. Agarkar acknowledged Jaiswal’s exclusion as unfortunate but credited Abhishek Sharma’s form for keeping him out.
Sundar’s omission was surprising, given head coach Gautam Gambhir’s known preference for all-rounders. However, the selectors opted for the in-form trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel to handle spin duties. “Sundar is always in the scheme of things. This is not the final squad for the World Cup,” Agarkar clarified.
All-round responsibilities will now be shared by Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Shivam Dube.
India’s squad for Asia Cup 2025
- Openers: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill
- Middle-order: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh
- All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube
- Keeper: Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson
- Pacers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana
- Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy
India Asia Cup 2025 schedule
India will begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against the UAE on September 10, while the much-awaited India–Pakistan clash is scheduled for September 14.
| India Asia Cup 2025 schedule | |||||
| Date | Match No. | Stage | Fixture | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Wed, 10 Sep '25 | 2nd Match | Group A | UAE vs India | Dubai (DICS) | 19:30:00 |
| Sun, 14 Sep '25 | 6th Match | Group A | India vs Pakistan | Dubai (DICS) | 19:30:00 |
| Fri, 19 Sep '25 | 12th Match | Group A | India vs Oman | Abu Dhabi | 19:30:00 |
More to follow