India Unveils T20 Squad for 2026 Asian Games in Japan
Announcement of the Squad
On Saturday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the Indian team for the Men's T20 tournament at the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled for September and October in Japan. Shreyas Iyer, the newly appointed T20I captain, will lead the team, with Tilak Varma as the vice-captain. The squad features the young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is expected to compete for a top-order position alongside seasoned players like Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan, enhancing the depth of India's batting lineup.
Squad Breakdown
The middle order of the Indian team consists of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and the powerful Shivam Dube. In addition to Sundar, the team has selected three spinners: Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi. The pace attack will feature Arsdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.
Inclusion of Jasprit Bumrah
Although Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England to focus on ODI preparations for the 2027 World Cup, he has been included in the full-strength squad for the men's cricket event at the 2026 Asian Games. The selectors decided to manage his workload during the June-July T20I matches, but Bumrah remains a crucial part of India's strategy and is part of the 15-member squad for this prestigious tournament.
Tournament Details
The men's cricket event at the 2026 Asian Games will adopt the T20 format, taking place from September 24 to October 3. A total of 10 teams, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Oman, will compete for the gold medal. The tournament will kick off with the preliminary qualifying rounds from September 24 to 26, followed by the quarter-finals on September 28 and 29. The semi-finals are set for October 1, with the bronze medal match and the gold medal final scheduled for October 3.
Complete T20I Squad for Asian Games
The Indian men's T20I squad for the Asian Games includes: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Jasprit Bumrah.