The announcement of India’s team for the 2025 Asia Cup is making headlines but the BCCI hasn’t clarified how they will announce the squad. The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, will meet in Mumbai on Tuesday to finalise the 15 players who will represent India in the Asia Cup.
According to TOI, the BCCI hasn’t decided whether to hold a press conference or just post the squad on the website.
The team selection is already generating buzz. A plus is that Jasprit Bumrah is fit and ready to play in the tournament. Bumrah, 31, played in the Test series against England recently and took 14 wickets in three matches.
On the other hand, India Test captain Shubman Gill might not be selected for the T20 Asia Cup team. Selectors feel Gill doesn’t fit into India’s current T20 plans and they prefer players who have been part of the team since the 2024 T20 World Cup. Gill’s last T20I was in July 2024 against Sri Lanka. Since then India has played against Bangladesh, South Africa and England without picking him. Despite his recent good show in Tests, including Gill in the T20 team would require a change in the batting order which the team wants to avoid.
According to Indian Express, there were informal talks of dropping Tilak Varma to make space for Shubman Gill at number 3. But the team management was against it, feeling it would be unfair to Varma who has performed well at ICC number two.
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It’s also possible that the Test players could be rested again. Although there’s over a month before the Asia Cup, the West Indies Test series starts on October 2, just three days after the final Asia Cup match on September 28. Since the team needs to focus on WTC points and there’s such a short break between T20 and Test matches, India might decide to keep their Test players back so they can focus on red-ball cricket.
This would allow them to play in the 2024-25 Duleep Trophy. The tour of Australia and home series against South Africa are coming up soon after so India will have to rest their all-format stars at some point.
Meanwhile Suryakumar Yadav has passed his fitness test and is likely to be the captain for the Asia Cup. The final decision will be taken after discussions between the selectors, team management and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on August 19 before the official announcement is made.
Asia Cup is scheduled from September 9 to 28, 2025 in UAE.
