India’s pace ace Jasprit Bumrah is all set to make his T20I return after more than a year, with the BCCI naming him in the squad for the Asia Cup 2025.
The tournament, hosted by India but played in the UAE for logistical reasons, will run from September 9 to 28.
Bumrah last played a T20 International in June 2024, when India lifted the T20 World Cup against South Africa. He was named Player of the Series for his 15 wickets in the tournament, including a match-winning spell of 2/18 in the final.
The 31-year-old has since battled injuries and workload management concerns, featuring sparingly in white-ball formats and missing Tests against England earlier this year.
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Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said the priority was to keep Bumrah fresh for major assignments:
“Clearly, we want him available for all the big games. There are World Cups, Champions Trophy, and series against England and Australia—you want him fit for those. Based on how he feels, we hope he’s available more often than not.”
Suryakumar to captain, Gill named deputy
Star batter Suryakumar Yadav will continue as captain, while Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain. The squad also includes young names like Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Rinku Singh, alongside seasoned all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel.
Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma have been selected as wicketkeeping options, while spin duties will be handled by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy.
Notably, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Siraj were left out despite speculation around their inclusion.
India’s group stage fixtures
India have been drawn in Group A alongside Pakistan, UAE, and Oman. Their group-stage fixtures are as follows:
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India vs UAE – Sept 10, Dubai International Stadium
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India vs Pakistan – Sept 14, Dubai International Stadium
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India vs Oman – Sept 19, Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
India’s asia cup record
India remain the most successful side in Asia Cup history with 8 titles—7 in ODIs and 1 in T20Is. Their first came in 1984 under Sunil Gavaskar, while the latest was in 2023, when Rohit Sharma’s side hammered Sri Lanka in the final.
With Bumrah returning to spearhead the bowling attack, fans will hope India can defend their crown and secure a ninth Asia Cup title.
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
