Shreyas Iyer to lead India at 2026 Asian Games; Bumrah included in T20 squad
Mumbai, June 6
The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Saturday announced the Indian squad for the Men's T20 event at the 2026 Asian Games in September-October in Japan.
Newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer will lead the side in Japan, with Tilak Varma serving as vice-captain. Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is set to challenge for a place at the top of the order alongside established batters Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, adding further depth and competition to India's batting lineup.
India's middle order includes Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and big hitter Shivam Dube. Apart from Sundar, India has opted for three more spinners, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi, while the pace unit includes Arsdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
Despite being rested for the upcoming T20I tours of Ireland and England as India prioritises ODI preparations ahead of the 2027 World Cup, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah has been included in a full-strength Indian squad for the men's cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games.
The selectors opted to manage Bumrah's workload during the June-July T20I assignments, but the pace spearhead remains a key part of India's plans and has been named in the 15-member squad for the continental showpiece.
The men's cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games will be played in the T20 format, running from September 24 to October 3. A total of 10 teams, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Oman, will battle for the gold medal.
The tournament will begin with the preliminary qualifying stage from September 24 to 26, before progressing to the quarter-finals on September 28 and 29. The semi-finals are scheduled for October 1, while both the bronze-medal playoff and the gold-medal final will be held on October 3.
India men's T20I squad for Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi inclusion is exciting! He has been tearing it up in domestic cricket. This is exactly the kind of young talent we need to groom for the future. Abhishek Sharma opening with him could be explosive. 💥
Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical about dropping Bumrah from the Ireland and England tours just to save him for Asian Games. This could affect team combination in those series. But if it helps him peak for the World Cup, it's acceptable. Arshdeep and Harshit need to step up in his absence.
That middle order is packed with firepower! Dube, Reddy and Sundar can take the game away from any opposition. Plus with Axar and Varun in the spin department, we have wicket-taking options. Pakistan vs India in Asian Games would be epic! 🇮🇳 vs 🇵🇰
Ishan Kishan as a wicketkeeper is a good backup. But why not give opportunities to young keepers like Dhruv Jurel? Sanju Samson will probably start as first choice keeper. Good to see varied options though.
As someone who watches IPL closely, this squad looks very strong for Asian Games. Tilak as VC is a smart move for grooming future leaders. India should win gold easily if bowlers perform to their potential. The fielding unit also looks athletic!
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