Asia Cup 2025: Shubman Gill Takes on Vice-Captain Role as Jasprit Bumrah Makes a Comeback to the Indian Squad!

Hyderabad: On August 19, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar announced the 15-member Indian squad for the Asia Cup 2025 at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. Captain Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team, with Shubman Gill serving as his deputy.

This squad reflects some tough choices as the selectors aim to maintain consistency since Yadav took over. Sanju Samson has been named as the main wicketkeeper, while Jitesh Sharma earned a spot as the second keeper, edging out Dhruv Jurel.

Surprisingly, both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer were left out, despite expectations they would make the team. Meanwhile, Axar Patel, who served as vice-captain in earlier matches, will now strengthen the spin attack alongside Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.

India’s bowling lineup features Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and newcomer Harshit Rana, backed by all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. The selection of Gill as vice-captain signals a shift in leadership dynamics.

Bumrah returns to the fold after his last T20I against South Africa in June 2024. Jitesh Sharma also makes a comeback, having last played a T20I against Afghanistan earlier this year. Notably, five players from the recent T20I series against England are included in this squad.

Asia Cup 2025 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 Chakaravarthy
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Sanju Samson (WK)
• Harshit Rana

The pitch conditions in the UAE could favor the spinners, making the choices even more intriguing. Analyst Dr. Ravi Kumar, a cricket strategist, notes, “With the right blend of experience and youth, India’s squad has the potential to shine on these pitches.” This mix of players might just be what India needs to navigate the challenges of the Asia Cup.

As cricket historians point out, past tournaments have shown that flexibility in selection often leads to success. Will this year’s selections pay off? Fans will be eager to see how this team performs against the competition.

Source link

BCCI ANNOUNCES INDIA SQUAD, SURYAKUMAR YADAV CAPTAIN, SHUBMAN GILL VICE CAPTAIN, JASPRIT BUMRAH RETURN, ASIA CUP 2025, ASIA CUP 2025 INDIA SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT PRESS CONFERENCE