Big News: Shubman Gill including another star player unlikely to be picked in India's Asia Cup squad as selection conundrum continues

Sports Tak

Sports Tak

UPDATED:

Big News: Shubman Gill including another star player unlikely to be picked in India's Asia Cup squad as selection conundrum continues
India's star batter Shubman Gill in frame

Story Highlights:

Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj might struggle to make the cut for the Asia Cup

BCCI will announce India's squad on August 19

Asia Cup 2025: Team India's selectors haven't zeroed in on the squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 which is scheduled to get underway from September 9. The Ajit Agarkar-led India's selection committee are slated to meet in Mumbai on August 19, where they will pick India's squad. Their selections are expected to challenge conventional expectations, with some of the standout performers from the recent England tour potentially missing out. As per a report by Cricbuzz, two of the India stars, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj might end up missing out on India's 15-member squad.

ALSO READ: Asia Cup Winners List: From 1984 to 2025, only 3 teams have won the title

Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj at risk of missing India's Asia Cup squad 

Gill's performance in England was spectacular, as he amassed over 750 runs, a total second only to the legendary Sunil Gavaskar in a single series. However, these runs were scored in five-day Test matches, while the Asia Cup is a T20I tournament. Although Gill also had a fantastic IPL season with 650 runs as an opener, the selectors are likely to stick with the established opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.

ALSO READ: East Zone captain Ishan Kishan ruled out of Duleep Trophy, 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batter announced as replacement

While there is always a spot for a third opener, and Gill's name is certain to be discussed, Yashasvi Jaiswal is a strong contender for the role. It is expected that either Gill or Jaiswal will be selected for the tournament, which runs from September 9-28, with Jaiswal currently having a slight edge. There's also a possibility that neither player makes the cut, but as of now, Gill appears to be trailing in the selection race, unless Test skipper Gautam Gambhir makes a compelling case for his inclusion. The rest of the batting lineup is likely to include Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rinku Singh, with one more spot still up for grabs. Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar are the main contenders for that final batting position, while Shreyas Iyer, who captained Punjab Kings to the IPL final, might not be as fortunate. In the wicketkeeper department, Jitesh Sharma is expected to be the second choice.

Despite being the highest wicket-taker in the recent series against England and earning high praise, Siraj might struggle to make the cut for the Asia Cup. This is largely because Jasprit Bumrah, considered one of the best bowlers in the world, will be leading the attack. The other pace spots are expected to go to Arshdeep Singh, with either Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana (or possibly both) also making the squad. Hardik Pandya, who bowled the crucial final over in the T20 World Cup, will be the other pacer. Meanwhile, veteran seamer Mohammed Shami is unlikely to be considered. The spin attack is expected to feature Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and vice-captain Axar Patel. Additionally, there is a strong possibility that Washington Sundar, who was part of the last T20I squad in February, will also secure a place.

Meanwhile, India, who are placed in Group A, will kick off their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a clash against UAE on September 10 followed by a key clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14. India will then take on Oman on September 19 in their last group-stage match.