Follow UsIndia recently announced a power-packed 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which begins on September 9 in the UAE.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side, with Shubman Gill named his deputy. Gill is expected to open the innings alongside the explosive Abhishek Sharma, while Sanju Samson will serve as a backup opener. The batting unit also includes Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh Sharma - making India’s line-up one of the most fearsome in world cricket.
The bowling attack is equally lethal. Jasprit Bumrah spearheads the pace department, supported by Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. In the spin department, India boast variety and quality with Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel.
It is hard to argue against any of the names picked, but with India’s bench strength at an all-time high, several top players still found themselves missing out. Interestingly, one could put together a second-string XI that looks strong enough to challenge the chosen squad.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Riyan Parag, KL Rahul (wk), Shashank Singh, Naman Dhir, Krunal Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, Khaleel Ahmed, Prasidh Krishna
This team underlines the sheer depth of Indian cricket right now. Sudharsan was the leading run-scorer in IPL 2025, piling up 759 runs at a strike rate of 156.17. Meanwhile, Jaiswal dominated the powerplay, striking at 177.4 in the first six overs this season.
At the helm is Iyer, who has been in sublime form and brings proven leadership credentials. He guided KKR to their first IPL title in a decade in 2024, and followed it up by leading PBKS to the final in 2025, where they narrowly lost to RCB. Across the last two IPL seasons, he has scored 955 runs in 31 innings at an average of 45.48 and a strike rate of 163.5.
In the middle order, Parag slots in at No.4 as a batting all-rounder, while Rahul adds flexibility and experience both as a wicketkeeper and versatile batter. Down the order, Shashank and Naman Dhir provide firepower as finishers, having proved themselves as two of the most effective lower-order hitters in recent IPL seasons.
The bowling attack is just as formidable. Pandya, coming off his best-ever IPL season with RCB, offers left-arm spin and batting depth. The pace trio of Prasidh, Khaleel, and Siraj provides a perfect mix. Prasidh was the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2025, Khaleel struck early with the new ball (joint-most wickets in the powerplay), and Siraj remains a proven match-winner with the ball.
India’s chosen squad for the Asia Cup 2025 looks stacked in every department, but this Unpicked XI shows just how frighteningly strong India’s bench has become. On paper, this side could challenge and possibly even beat the official squad.