Jasprit Bumrah will spearhead a full-strength India side at the men’s T20 competition during the Asian Games in Japan this September and October. The fast bowler, rested for the June-July trips to Ireland and England, features in a 15-man group that the selectors believe gives India the best chance of defending their 2023 gold.
Selectors’ chair Ajit Agarkar admitted decisions were tight throughout. Asked why Mohammed Siraj missed out after being chosen for the UK tour, he paused before conceding, “It’s a tough one.” The panel clearly wanted a fresh Bumrah in Japan and have swapped the right-armer for Siraj, with Prince Yadav – the extra player in the UK squads – also left out.
Captaincy has changed hands too. Shreyas Iyer, now India’s T20 skipper, leads the side, while Tilak Varma is named vice-captain. At just 15, left-hander Vaibhav Sooryavanshi travels as a top-order option alongside a familiar trio of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. The management like Sooryavanshi’s temperament but will not rush him; Samson’s likely to keep wicket and open, yet that could shift once conditions in Aichi Prefecture are assessed.
Key tournament dates jump out. The Games run from 19 September to 4 October, clashing with India’s home ODIs against West Indies (27 Sept – 3 Oct) and a subsequent five-match T20 series (from 6 Oct). The overlap means several white-ball regulars have been split between squads, with 50-over preparations for the 2027 World Cup weighing heavily on minds.
The men’s T20 portion begins 24 September, finishes 3 October and involves ten nations: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, hosts Japan, plus Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Oman. An initial qualifying phase (24-26 Sept) feeds into quarter-finals (28-29), semis (1 Oct) and medal matches on 3 October.
India topped the podium in Hangzhou three years ago after rain ruined the final against Afghanistan. As the higher-ranked side they took gold, though few inside the camp wish to repeat that sort of finish. All-rounder Axar Patel told local media last week he would “rather bowl the last over than win on a rule book”, but those comments came before squads were locked.
The women’s tournament, running 17-22 September, sees eight teams – Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and China – playing for gold. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side, champions in 2023, enter as favourites again.
India men’s T20 squad for Asian Games
Shreyas Iyer (capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah.
Bumrah’s inclusion hints at how seriously India are treating the Games despite the domestic congestion. A fit, firing leader of the attack is rarely rested unless absolutely necessary, and selectors clearly see value – for prestige, experience and perhaps even team bonding – in sending him to Japan. Whether that gamble pays off, especially with another World Cup cycle already ticking, becomes the next storyline once the squad assembles in late August.
