Are India eyeing a change of guard at the Asia Cup?

Dubai: Hours before the selectors sit down in Mumbai to finalise India’s squad for the Asia Cup, the biggest question isn’t just who makes the cut — but what direction Indian cricket is taking. With a youthful surge pushing for places and Shubman Gill’s growing stature as a leader, the tournament in the UAE could mark the beginning of a subtle change of guard.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the Senior Men’s Selection Committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, will meet in Mumbai on Tuesday, followed by a press conference with captain at 1:30pm (IST). The squad announcement comes at a time when India appear to be balancing experience with a new generation eager to step forward.

Abhishek Sharma, the world No 1 Twenty20 player in ICC ranking, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma have established themselves as the top three, with skipper Suryakumar at No 4. Test captain Gill is strongly in contention for the vice-captaincy, signalling his growing influence across formats. Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag and Washington Sundar are also in the mix, while Sai Sudharsan — the top run-scorer in IPL 2025 — might find himself edged out by the abundance of openers.

Calls are growing to include teenage prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi as an additional opener, while moving Sanju Samson down the order into a finisher’s role.

Behind the stumps, Jitesh Sharma could get the nod as a backup wicketkeeper. On the bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah’s availability is a major boost, with the pace spearhead set to lead a unit featuring Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, who took a five-wicket haul in the previous Asia Cup final in Colombo, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana. Among spinners, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi are the front-runners.

For all the youthful energy, the core of experience remains crucial. Bumrah’s return offers stability, while Iyer’s presence could provide the middle-order assurance that India have often leaned on. But with Gill and Tilak pushing to establish themselves in the same XI, the selectors face the tricky task of aligning present needs with future vision.

The Asia Cup, to be staged in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from September 9 to 28, will provide the first clues. India, drawn alongside Pakistan, UAE and Oman in Group A, open their campaign against the hosts on September 10 in Dubai before meeting Pakistan in a blockbuster clash on September 14. The final will also be held in Dubai on September 28.

The UAE has been a stage of transition for Indian cricket before — notably during the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year, when Gill stepped into the leadership role after being named the vice-captain. The Asia Cup now promises to reveal whether this tournament becomes another landmark in India’s evolving cricketing journey: the moment when the next generation moves closer to taking charge.