India’s much-awaited squad for the Asia Cup 2025 was unveiled in Mumbai on Tuesday, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressing the media amid heavy showers in the city. The biggest surprise came with the inclusion of Shubman Gill, who not only earned a place in the squad but was also named vice-captain, ending weeks of speculation about his role.

Gill, who last featured in T20 cricket against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2024, recently impressed with a stellar maiden stint as India’s Test captain against England. His elevation to deputy skipper effectively ruled out a spot for Shreyas Iyer, despite the latter’s consistent performances across formats.

Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 crown and took Punjab Kings to the 2025 final, was considered a frontrunner for selection. He further cemented his credentials in India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year, finishing as the team’s top scorer with 243 runs at an average of 48.60. Yet, the selectors admitted that squad balance and the rise of Abhishek Sharma forced difficult calls. “With Abhishek doing well and adding bowling value, it was unfortunate for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer,” Agarkar said.

Another point of interest was the inclusion of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, marking his return to T20 cricket for the first time since the 2024 World Cup. Questions lingered over his workload ahead of the home Test series against West Indies in October, but the selectors backed his readiness.

The 15-member squad blends established stars with emerging talent, aiming to defend India’s regional supremacy in the Asia Cup.

India Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Jitesh Sharma, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy.

India’s much-awaited squad for the Asia Cup 2025 was unveiled in Mumbai on Tuesday, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressing the media amid heavy showers in the city. The biggest surprise came with the inclusion of Shubman Gill, who not only earned a place in the squad but was also named vice-captain, ending weeks of speculation about his role.

Gill, who last featured in T20 cricket against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2024, recently impressed with a stellar maiden stint as India’s Test captain against England. His elevation to deputy skipper effectively ruled out a spot for Shreyas Iyer, despite the latter’s consistent performances across formats.

Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 crown and took Punjab Kings to the 2025 final, was considered a frontrunner for selection. He further cemented his credentials in India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year, finishing as the team’s top scorer with 243 runs at an average of 48.60. Yet, the selectors admitted that squad balance and the rise of Abhishek Sharma forced difficult calls. “With Abhishek doing well and adding bowling value, it was unfortunate for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer,” Agarkar said.

Another point of interest was the inclusion of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, marking his return to T20 cricket for the first time since the 2024 World Cup. Questions lingered over his workload ahead of the home Test series against West Indies in October, but the selectors backed his readiness.

The 15-member squad blends established stars with emerging talent, aiming to defend India’s regional supremacy in the Asia Cup.

India Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Jitesh Sharma, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy.