BCCI, on 19th August, announced the 15 member squad of India for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. Notably, the names of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer were missing despite their great performances in recent times in T20s. Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, said that there was no place to fit in Iyer, while Abhishek was preferred over Jaiswal due to his added advantage of bowling and recent form in T20Is.
Shubman Gill was named the vice captain, while Axar Patel was again relieved of this duty. Agarkar and co. mentioned that Gill was India’s vice captain in T20Is before the management decided to give him a short break from the format to focus on Tests. Now, with the advent of T20 World Cup 2026, Gill will resume his duties as vice captain. Now, the big question is who will Shubman replace in the playing XI. What is going to be India’s best playing 11 combination for the Asia Cup 2025? Let’s find out.
India’s Best Playing 11 for Asia Cup 2025
Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
- Openers: Gill’s vice-captaincy and consistent form make him the clear choice at the top, partnered by a left-handed, powerplay-hitting Abhishek Sharma for variety.
- Middle Order: Suryakumar as captain solidifies the middle, while Tilak Varma’s aggressive approach at No.3 keeps up the momentum. Jitesh Sharma’s finishing skills are preferred at No.5.
- All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel ensure depth in batting and flexibility in bowling.
- Spin Attack: Kuldeep and Varun form a dual spin threat, perfect for Asian conditions.
- Pace: Bumrah’s experience and Arshdeep’s left-arm option give the team a dynamic new-ball and death-bowling combination.
Probable Playing XI Roles
| Position | Player | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Opener | Shubman Gill (vc) | Leading as vice-captain; excellent recent form; consistent run-scorer for India. |
| Opener | Abhishek Sharma | Left-hand option; electric form in IPL and recent T20Is; aggressive powerplay hitter; current world no.1 in T20Is. |
| No.3 | Tilak Varma | Highly rated after scoring centuries in T20Is; aggressive intent, handles pressure. |
| No.4 | Suryakumar Yadav (c) | Captain; one of the world’s top-ranked T20 batters; match-winner, leads middle order. |
| No.5 (WK) | Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper; explosive lower-order bat; excellent finisher, preferred over Samson. |
| No.6 | Hardik Pandya | Core all-rounder; provides balance, can accelerate and bowl crucial overs. |
| No.7 | Axar Patel | Spin-bowling all-rounder; vital for UAE conditions, proven IPL form. |
| No.8 | Kuldeep Yadav | Lead spinner; UAE offers help to wrist-spin, in good rhythm after strong 2025 performances. |
| No.9 | Jasprit Bumrah | Returnee and leader of pace attack; brings experience and X-factor in crucial matches. |
| No.10 | Varun Chakaravarthy | Mystery spinner; hard to read, great economy, complements Kuldeep well. |
| No.11 | Arshdeep Singh | Left-arm pace, excels at death; strong T20 and IPL record, reliable wicket-taker. |
Honorable Mentions
- Bench Strength: Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana.
- Notable Omissions: Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal (due to current team strategy and form, though they remain reliable backup options)