India’s Test captain Shubman Gill is reportedly set to miss out on selection for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 squad, despite a strong batting performance in the recent Test series against England. The team management and selectors believe that Gill does not currently fit into their T20 plans, making his participation in the tournament unlikely.
The Asia Cup 2025, which will be held in the UAE, is scheduled to begin on 9 September and will follow the T20 format. India are set to open their campaign against the UAE on 10 September. The selection panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, is expected to announce the squad in Mumbai on Tuesday, 19 August.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is reportedly favoured to take the role of the third opener. Jaiswal, who was part of India’s victorious 2024 T20 World Cup squad but did not feature in any matches, is set to retain his place. Although there were informal discussions about dropping Jaiswal in favour of Gill, the suggestion appears to have been dismissed.
Gill last represented India in a T20 International during the Sri Lanka series in July last year. He enjoyed a successful IPL 2025 season with the Gujarat Titans, bolstering his case as an opener. Nevertheless, the management are keen to maintain the established opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, who have performed well at the top of the order.
In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace attack after confirming his availability for the tournament. Mohammed Siraj, despite finishing as the highest wicket-taker in the Test series against England, may struggle to secure a place in the Asia Cup squad. Arshdeep Singh is a near-certainty, while Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana are contenders for the third pacer’s spot.
Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to feature as the fourth pacer. The spin attack is expected to include Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy as frontline spinners, with Axar Patel selected as the first-choice spin all-rounder.
