The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors are gearing up to announce India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025 on Tuesday (August 19) in Mumbai. The continental tournament, scheduled from September 9 to 28, will feature eight teams battling it out in the T20I format across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
India are set to be led by Suryakumar Yadav, who recently cleared a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. His leadership will be under the spotlight, but equally intriguing is the battle for spots in India’s squad – particularly the wicketkeeping department.
Sanju Samson, who has established himself as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in T20Is, is expected to take the gloves. However, the bigger question lies in who will back him up. According to a report in Sportstar (August 17), 31-year-old Jitesh Sharma is on course to make a comeback.
Jitesh, who represents Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, played a pivotal role in RCB’s historic title-winning run earlier this year. His fearless batting and finishing abilities caught the selectors’ eyes, and it is now being reported that he is likely to replace Dhruv Jurel, who was Samson’s deputy during the England series.
The Vidarbha cricketer has played nine T20Is for India, scoring 100 runs across seven innings. His last outing in India colours came against Afghanistan in Indore on January 14, 2024. If picked, the Asia Cup will mark his return after more than a year on the sidelines.
While Jitesh looks set for a second chance, KL Rahul’s wait for a T20I comeback appears to continue. The 33-year-old from Karnataka remains India’s go-to wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs and had a stellar year with notable performances in the Champions Trophy, IPL, and Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Yet, his absence from the shortest format since November 2022 indicates that the team management is looking ahead with different options in mind.
Rahul is one of just four Indian batters to have crossed the 2000-run milestone in T20Is, but with Samson holding the gloves and Jitesh knocking on the doors, the dynamics of India’s T20 setup are clearly shifting.
The Asia Cup 2025 is not just another tournament- it will also serve as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup next year. For India, finalising their batting and wicket-keeping options will be critical. The announcement in Mumbai on Tuesday promises to provide some clarity, but as always, it will also spark fresh debates among fans and experts alike.
