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Mohammed Siraj is reportedly likely to miss the 2025 Asia Cup, while Shubman Gill would need a big vouch from head coach Gautam Gambhir to be considered.
Mohammed Siraj picked up 16 wickets in IPL 2025. (PC: BCCI)
The highest wicket-taker in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Mohammed Siraj, is likely to miss out on the 2025 Asia Cup. According to a report in Cricbuzz, spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh, and one of Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna are likely to constitute the pace attack for the multi-national tournament.
Siraj has been the apple of the nation’s eye after his match-winning fifer at the Oval in the last Test, but his T20 credentials aren’t as solid as some of his competitors. He had a good, 16-wicket season in IPL 2025 but Prasidh (Purple Cap winner), Bumrah and Arshdeep all took more wickets than him. Whereas, Rana was one of the best bowlers in the league last season and impressed in his debut series against England earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the report said, Test captain Shubman Gill is unlikely to make the cut, too, unless head coach Gautam Gambhir makes a strong case for him in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s selection meeting in Mumbai, scheduled for August 19.
He was the second-highest run-scorer in the IPL 2025 and led the Gujarat Titans well for the second time, but his runs came as an opener. The report said Sanju Samson, who scored three centuries in T20Is last year, and Abhishek Sharma, the top-ranked batter by ICC in the format, are locked in as the first-choice options.
The spot for a backup opener/batter is still available, but currently, Mumbai and Rajasthan Royals’ Yashasvi Jaiswal is ahead. His Mumbai teammate Shreyas Iyer is unlikely to join him, as per the report, while Jitesh Sharma (and not the likes of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul) is expected to be the backup wicketkeeper.
The report mentioned Axar Patel as the vice-captain, despite some rumors that Gill could replace him in that role with the team’s eyes on the long-term future under captain Suryakumar Yadav. Hardik Pandya is cemented as one of the all-rounders, with Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar vying for the other spot.
Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi are expected to join Patel in the spin quartet in helpful conditions in the UAE. India’s campaign in the Asia Cup starts on September 10.
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