<p>Suryakumar Yadav will lead India's title defence in the Asia Cup with Shubman Gill named as his deputy in the 15-member squad picked by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel in Mumbai on Tuesday that also includes pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.</p><p>Gill is making a return to the shortest format of the game with his last T20 appearance coming against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2024. The 25-year-old has now replaced Axar Patel as the deputy while for Bumrah, this will be his first T20 tournament since last year's World Cup.</p><p>"Gill's form in England was something we expected but he exceeded it all," said Agarkar during the press conference.</p><p>The Asia Cup will be played in T20 format in the UAE from September 9 to 28, with India scheduled to open their campaign against the hosts on September 10.</p>.<p>The marquee fixture against arch-rivals Pakistan is slated on September 14, both of the matches slated to be held in Dubai.</p><p>Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer failed to make the cut while left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been drafted in, while Jitesh Sharma will be the back-up wicketkeeper batter.</p><p>However, Jaiswal was among the five stand-by players chosen by the selectors.</p><p>"It's unfortunate Jaiswal has had to miss out but he will have to wait," said Agarkar.</p><p>India are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Oman, and UAE while Group B features Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. </p><p><strong>Squad:</strong> Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Jitesh Sharma, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy.</p><p><strong>Standbys:</strong> Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal.</p><p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>
<p>Suryakumar Yadav will lead India's title defence in the Asia Cup with Shubman Gill named as his deputy in the 15-member squad picked by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel in Mumbai on Tuesday that also includes pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.</p><p>Gill is making a return to the shortest format of the game with his last T20 appearance coming against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2024. The 25-year-old has now replaced Axar Patel as the deputy while for Bumrah, this will be his first T20 tournament since last year's World Cup.</p><p>"Gill's form in England was something we expected but he exceeded it all," said Agarkar during the press conference.</p><p>The Asia Cup will be played in T20 format in the UAE from September 9 to 28, with India scheduled to open their campaign against the hosts on September 10.</p>.<p>The marquee fixture against arch-rivals Pakistan is slated on September 14, both of the matches slated to be held in Dubai.</p><p>Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer failed to make the cut while left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been drafted in, while Jitesh Sharma will be the back-up wicketkeeper batter.</p><p>However, Jaiswal was among the five stand-by players chosen by the selectors.</p><p>"It's unfortunate Jaiswal has had to miss out but he will have to wait," said Agarkar.</p><p>India are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Oman, and UAE while Group B features Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. </p><p><strong>Squad:</strong> Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Jitesh Sharma, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy.</p><p><strong>Standbys:</strong> Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal.</p><p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>
