The picture is getting clearer ahead of the Asia Cup 2025. The Indian squad will be picked on August 19 in Mumbai, and if the early signs are anything to go by, the selectors never shied away from putting faith in Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership. At the same time, some big names may find themselves on the sidelines.
The fact that Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill are not certain picks, just goes to show how rich India’s resources are in the shortest format.
India Squad for Asia Cup
Suryakumar, India’s T20I skipper, is currently at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, working his way back from sports hernia surgery. He has already returned to the nets, and his presence at the selection meeting in Mumbai will all but confirm that he leads India in the Asia Cup. A BCCI source told Times of India, “Yes, the team for the Asia Cup will be picked on August 19 in Mumbai. The selection committee meeting will be followed by a press conference by chief selector Ajit Agarkar.”
Surya’s T20I record remains stellar. Even as captain, Suryakumar has won 13 of the 15 T20 internationals. But his form has dipped since the T20 World Cup triumph. Even so, the management views him as the right man to steer the side in the UAE.
Iyer, Gill, Jaiswal – All to miss out?
While Suryakumar’s place is secure, the same cannot be said for Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Gill’s vice-captaincy chances have reportedly taken a hit, with the top order already packed with Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma and Surya himself. Since last year’s T20 World Cup, Gill has scored 893 runs in 22 matches at an average of 47 and a strike rate of 147, but he last played a T20I in July and now finds himself squeezed out.
Jaiswal’s case is slightly different. The young opener had a stellar Test run in Australia and England, scoring over 800 runs combined, and also impressed in IPL 2025. But the selectors have asked him to focus on red-ball cricket, with his Duleep Trophy commitments for West Zone in early September clashing with the Asia Cup schedule. Travelling between India and the UAE, and then preparing for the home Test series against West Indies, could prove too demanding.
However, the biggest surprise could be the omission of Shreyas Iyer. The middle-order batter scored 650 runs in IPL 2025 and seemed primed for a T20I return. His leadership was lauded as well, taking Punjab Kings to their first IPL final after a decade. But like Jaiswal, Iyer is set to play in the Duleep Trophy, and the selectors are wary of making players switch formats with a quick turnaround before the West Indies Tests.
“In fact, with India looking to persist with the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, Gill is currently struggling to even make it to the side. Even Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a great series in England, and middle-order bat Shreyas Iyer are likely not to be picked for the T20 side. Jaiswal has been told by the selectors to focus on red-ball cricket,” a source revealed.
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