Squad Update for Asia Cup: Bumrah is Back, Gill Aspirations for Vice-Captaincy Role
India Announces Asia Cup Squad: Harshit Rana Secures Third Pacer Spot
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, with Harshit Rana securing the third pacer spot in the team. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Rana will form the primary fast-bowling trio, with Hardik Pandya providing additional pace options.
The selection of Rana has been met with some criticism, particularly from former India opener Kris Srikkanth, who questioned the choice of Rana over other in-form pacers like Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. Rana recorded a relatively expensive economy rate in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which added to the controversy around his inclusion.
In contrast, Prasidh Krishna, the IPL 2025 Purple Cap winner with 25 wickets, and Siraj, with 16 IPL wickets, were named as reserve players and did not make the final 15-member squad.
The decision to select Rana appears to favour a combination of experienced and promising players rather than IPL form alone. Jasprit Bumrah, who is considered crucial for India's bowling attack in the Asia Cup, will also be joining the squad.
The top order for the India squad is tight, with Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya forming strong cores. If Shubman Gill regains the vice-captaincy role, it will mark a return to the status quo with him holding the deputy's post when Suryakumar Yadav was appointed full-time T20I captain. Gill had a successful stint as captain and batter in the recent Test series.
The spin department for the India squad is likely to feature Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. The squad is expected to be announced by August 19 or 20. The Asia Cup is a key preparatory tournament for the T20 World Cup. The formidable form of several players, including Shubman Gill, in the IPL makes it difficult for selectors to accommodate everyone, which may mean a wait for players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal to take their turn.
[1] India Announces Asia Cup Squad [2] Bumrah Joins India Squad for Asia Cup [3] Harshit Rana Secures Third Pacer Spot [4] IPL Stars Miss Out on Asia Cup Selection [5] Kris Srikkanth Questions Rana's Selection
