Shubman Gill Returns as Vice-Captain for India’s T20I Asia Cup Squad
Shubman Gill has been recalled to India’s T20I squad as vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup, marking his return to the shortest format after a brief hiatus. The 15-member squad, announced by the selection committee on Tuesday, will be led by Suryakumar Yadav.
Gill replaces Axar Patel as the team’s vice-captain and is expected to play a key role at the top of the order, alongside fellow openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. His appointment signals the selectors’ long-term vision, with Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar highlighting Gill’s leadership potential and recent form.
“We obviously see some leadership qualities in him, and his form in England was what we were hoping for. He exceeded all our expectations,” Agarkar said.
The Asia Cup squad notably excludes Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer, both of whom had strong IPL campaigns. Jaiswal has been named among the reserves, while Iyer—who amassed 604 runs at a strike rate of 175 for Punjab Kings—misses out entirely.
"With regard to Yashasvi, it's just unfortunate," Agarkar explained. "Abhishek has done well and offers a bowling option. One of them had to miss out. Yashasvi just has to wait for his chance."
On Iyer, he added: “Who can he replace? No fault of his, nor is it ours. At the moment, you can just pick 15.”
Gill last played T20Is in July 2024 in Sri Lanka, where he served as vice-captain. Since then, he was rested from T20I duties to focus on Tests and ODIs, where he led India to a 2-2 draw in the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England and played a vital role in their Champions Trophy win. He also had a prolific IPL 2025 season, scoring 650 runs for Gujarat Titans at a strike rate of 155.87.
Speaking after the selection, captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed confidence in Gill’s return. “He’s there in the squad, and we're happy to have him. The journey starts now from the Asia Cup.”
The squad features a mix of experience and young talent. Alongside Suryakumar and Gill in the batting department are Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh Sharma—who may take the gloves depending on the opening combination. The all-rounders include Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube.
In the bowling unit, Jasprit Bumrah leads the pace attack, supported by Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel form the spin contingent.
India will begin their Asia Cup campaign on September 10 against UAE in Dubai, followed by high-profile fixtures against Pakistan (September 14, Dubai) and Oman (September 19, Abu Dhabi). The tournament marks India's first T20I appearance since their home series against England in January.
“This is the first big tournament we are playing since the [2024] T20 World Cup,” said Suryakumar. “There are close to 20-22 T20Is before the next World Cup in 2026, and the journey starts now.”
India’s Squad for the Asia Cup 2025:
Main Squad:
Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Shubman Gill (vc), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson
Reserves:
Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal