Shubman Gill Gets Nod as Vice-Captain; Shreyas Iyer Axed from India’s Asia Cup Squad

* Suryakumar Yadav to Lead a Mix of Experience and Youth in T20 Tournament

* Surprise Omissions and Returns Mark the 15-Member Team for UAE

MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Indian squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, and it has sparked major conversations. In a significant move, star batter Shreyas Iyer has been left out of the 15-member squad, while Shubman Gill has been promoted to the role of vice-captain.

Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side, with Gill as his deputy. This decision comes after Hardik Pandya was recently named vice-captain for the T20 series against Sri Lanka, indicating a strategic shift in leadership roles for the white-ball format.

The pace attack will be spearheaded by a fit-again Jasprit Bumrah, whose inclusion puts to rest any lingering doubts about his fitness. In another notable decision, Mohammad Siraj has been “rested” due to a minor injury, with selectors suggesting Bumrah might also be rotated if Siraj becomes available.

The squad features a blend of power-hitters and versatile all-rounders. Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, and the explosive wicketkeeper Sanju Samson have been included, rewarding their consistent domestic and IPL form. The selection of Rinku Singh, despite a quieter run lately, shows the team’s faith in his finishing abilities. Harshit Rana pipped Prasidh Krishna for a pace bowling spot.

Explaining the tough calls, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said, “It’s very unfortunate for Yashasvi Jaiswal who is playing well, and on the other hand, Abhishek Sharma is also shining. He can bowl if needed. So, one of the two had to miss out. The same thing happened with Shreyas Iyer. He hasn’t done anything wrong; it’s just the situation.”

The opening duties will fall to Shubman Gill and one of Abhishek Sharma or Sanju Samson, confirming there is no room for Jaiswal in the current setup.

India Squad for Asia Cup 2025:

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

Standby Players: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rian Parag, Dhruv Jurel.

India’s Asia Cup 2025 Schedule:

• September 10: IND vs UAE (Dubai) – 7:30 PM onwards

• September 14: IND vs PAK (Dubai) – 7:30 PM onwards

• September 19: IND vs OMAN (Abu Dhabi) – 7:30 PM onwards

The tournament, featuring 8 teams divided into two groups, will run from September 9 to September 28.

Group A: India, Pakistan, Oman, UAE

Group B: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong