India Squad for Asia Cup 2025: Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, and Krunal Pandya in the Mix for Selection

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is over, and now it's time to focus on T20s. With the T20 World Cup 2026 coming up in February-March, the Indian team has five months to finalize their squad. The competition for places in the T20 team is tough, and even senior players can’t be sure of a spot. Whether or not the Asia Cup 2025 happens, it will give selectors a better idea of which players should be in the T20 World Cup squad. The Asia Cup starts on September 9 in the UAE.

With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20Is, this will be India’s first multi-nation tournament without them. However, unlike the Test team, the T20I squad is always changing and improving. Under Gautam Gambhir, India played aggressive cricket winning 12 out of 15 T20Is with a high run rate of 10.28 runs per over. Now, after IPL 2025, the BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has some key decisions to make.

India now has split captaincy with Suryakumar Yadav leading the T20I team, Shubman Gill captaining the Test side, and Rohit Sharma in charge of ODIs. However, Suryakumar is recovering from sports hernia surgery and his return for the Asia Cup 2025 will depend on his rehab progress, so India needs a backup captain. While Axar Patel was the vice-captain in the last T20I series and Hardik Pandya led before that, Shubman Gill is the official vice-captain for white-ball formats. If SKY is unavailable, Gill will step in as captain.

Sanju Samson’s Spot in the Asia Cup 2025: Strong Contender Despite Injury Concerns

As per reports, Sanju Samson is expected to be the first-choice wicketkeeper for Asia Cup 2025. While he deserves a spot in the squad and the Playing XI, his injury absence in IPL 2025 and the performances of others during that time will be noted by the selectors. Despite some inconsistencies, Samson has shown his potential, scoring three centuries and a half-century with a strike rate of 167.07 in the last 24 months. However, he also had five ducks and five single-digit scores, including a poor series against England. In IPL 2025, he scored 285 runs at an average of 35.62 with a strike rate of 140.39. His recent form might impact his position in India’s T20I squad.

India has several big-hitting wicketkeepers in T20s, including Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma, Dhruv Jurel, Ishan Kishan, Prabhsimran Singh, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. While some question Pant’s T20 form, it's worth remembering his explosive 61-ball 118 in his last T20 innings. In the top order, both Samson and Prabhsimran Singh have performed well over the past year, but with competition high, India might consider Jitesh Sharma as an alternative. With a strike rate of 190.38, the best among them, Sharma could be used as a finisher, similar to how Dinesh Karthik was utilized in the past.

Shreyas Iyer Likely to Be Selected for Asia Cup 2025 After Stellar IPL 2025 Performance

As per a Times of India report, Shreyas Iyer is likely to be selected for Team India for the Asia Cup and the Home Test series against the West Indies. After missing out on Test and T20I squads, Iyer made a strong case with his impressive IPL 2025 performance, scoring 604 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 175.07. In the past 12 months, he has scored 949 runs in 25 T20 innings with a strike rate of 179.73 and an average of 49.94. However, for Iyer to return to the T20I squad, India may need to drop Tilak Varma, who has been in great form, scoring three centuries and five fifties in 32 innings with a strike rate of 153.84.

Krunal Pandya’s Strong IPL Performance Could Earn Him a Spot in India’s Asia Cup 2025 Squad

While Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel are the two designated all-rounders, there could be room for one or two more in the lineup. Gambhir and Agarkar may consider Washington Sundar for his skills as a second spinner, especially with UAE pitches expected to support slow bowlers. For Hardik's backup, Nitish Kumar Reddy, known for his seam bowling, could be an option if he recovers from injury in time. Additionally, as per News18, Krunal Pandya is likely to be rewarded for his strong IPL performance and could be included in India's squad for the Asia Cup 2025.

🚨 KRUNAL PANDYA FOR ASIA CUP 🚨

- Krunal Pandya is likely to get reward for his performance in IPL, He’s likely to be included in India’s squad for Asia Cup 2025. (News18). pic.twitter.com/qhZHtVzgv3

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) August 7, 2025

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