India has officially announced a formidable 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to begin on September 9 in the UAE. The squad reflects a perfect blend of explosive youth, experienced campaigners, and match-winning depth across departments.
Suryakumar Yadav has been named captain, with Shubman Gill appointed as vice-captain. Gill is expected to open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma, who has earned a spot after a stellar domestic and IPL season. Sanju Samson will act as a backup opener and brings flexibility with his wicketkeeping skills.
India’s batting unit looks intimidating with the inclusion of Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh Sharma. The middle and lower order is stacked with power-hitters and utility players capable of turning games single-handedly.
The bowling attack is equally dangerous. Jasprit Bumrah will spearhead the pace unit, supported by Arshdeep Singh and rising star Harshit Rana. The spin attack offers both variety and control with Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel, giving India quality options in slow UAE conditions.
With such balance in both batting and bowling, India’s official squad looks well-prepared to reclaim the Asia Cup crown.
India’s Unpicked XI for Asia Cup 2025: A World-Class Backup Line-Up
While the selected squad for the Asia Cup 2025 is undoubtedly strong, the depth of Indian cricket right now is so immense that several top performers have been left out. In fact, one could form an Unpicked XI capable of competing—and possibly winning—against the main team.
Here’s a look at India’s best XI not picked for Asia Cup 2025:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Riyan Parag, KL Rahul (wk), Shashank Singh, Naman Dhir, Krunal Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, Khaleel Ahmed, and Prasidh Krishna.
This line-up is filled with IPL stars and consistent domestic performers. Sai Sudharsan was the top run-scorer in IPL 2025 with 759 runs at a strike rate of 156.17. Jaiswal set the tone in the powerplay, striking at 177.4 in the first six overs. Shreyas Iyer, the captain of this second-string side, has had back-to-back excellent seasons in the IPL and has proven leadership, having guided KKR to a title in 2024 and PBKS to a final in 2025.
The middle order features dynamic options like Riyan Parag and KL Rahul, while the finishing duties can be handled by Shashank Singh and Naman Dhir, both of whom have developed a reputation for closing games with aggressive batting.
In the bowling department, Krunal Pandya adds value as a spin-bowling all-rounder, while the pace trio of Siraj, Khaleel, and Prasidh Krishna brings variety and wicket-taking prowess. Notably, Prasidh was the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2025, Khaleel dominated the powerplay, and Siraj remains a seasoned performer in all formats.
The Depth of Indian Cricket Has Never Been Greater
The fact that players of this caliber are missing out on a tournament as big as the Asia Cup speaks volumes about India’s bench strength. From batting depth to fast-bowling riches and spin variety, the Indian setup is now producing two teams that could both realistically compete at the highest level.
Whether it’s the main squad led by Suryakumar Yadav or the unpicked XI led by Shreyas Iyer, India’s cricketing future looks incredibly bright ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 and beyond.
