India A will head to Doha later this month with wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma at the helm for the ACC Rising Stars T20 Asia Cup, scheduled from 14 to 23 November. Punjab’s middle-order batter Naman Dhir has been named vice-captain.
The 15-strong squad reads much like an IPL form guide. Ramandeep Singh, Abishek Porel, Suyash Sharma, Ashutosh Sharma and Nehal Wadhera bring recent franchise experience, while young openers Priyansh Arya and Vaibhav Suryavanshi earned their maiden IPL caps earlier this year. Domestic regulars Harsh Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Gurjapneet Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yudhvir Singh complete the main party, with four stand-by players on call.
Only Jitesh has featured for India’s senior side of late, turning out in the T20I series in Australia last month. Even so, head coach Sitanshu Kotak has a group familiar with high-pressure white-ball cricket. The brief is straightforward: adjust quickly to Gulf conditions, finish top of Group B and, if all goes to plan, meet one of the sub-continental heavyweights in the final.
Group B fixtures place India alongside Oman, Pakistan and the UAE. The headline clash—India A v Pakistan A—falls on 16 November, two days after the tournament opener between Pakistan A and Oman. Group A contains Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. Semi-finals are booked for 21 November, the final for 23 November.
Schedule (local time):
14 Nov – Oman v Pakistan; India v UAE
15 Nov – Bangladesh v Hong Kong; Afghanistan v Sri Lanka
16 Nov – Oman v UAE; India v Pakistan
17 Nov – Hong Kong v Sri Lanka; Afghanistan v Bangladesh
18 Nov – Pakistan v UAE; India v Oman
19 Nov – Afghanistan v Hong Kong; Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
21 Nov – Semi-finals
23 Nov – Final
The Doha event doubles as the first on-field meeting between Indian and Pakistani men’s sides since September’s senior Asia Cup. That tournament ended awkwardly; India departed without lifting the trophy after refusing to receive it from ACC president Mohsin Naqvi, who also chairs the Pakistan Cricket Board. There were no post-match handshakes either, underscoring the broader diplomatic chill. Whether those scenes repeat at under-23 level remains to be seen, though both boards have indicated that routine presentation protocols will be followed in Qatar.
From a cricketing angle, selection chief Ajit Agarkar signalled continuity. “We felt it important to reward strong domestic and IPL form,” he said in Tuesday’s media briefing. “The Rising Stars Cup prepares players for senior international cricket; recent performances earned these boys their places.”
Bowling balance looks sensible: Yash Thakur brings new-ball discipline, Vyshak and Yudhvir offer pace at the death, and leg-spinner Suyash Sharma provides middle-overs control. All-round depth sits with Ramandeep, Dhir and Shedge, while Porel slots in as the second wicketkeeper.
The format itself—twenty-over cricket on neutral pitches—can appear unforgiving, yet India A arrive as mild favourites. Pakistan A, captained by all-rounder Qasim Akram, have similar depth, and Afghanistan A’s spinners are likely to enjoy Doha’s slow surfaces.
India A squad
Jitesh Sharma (capt, wk), Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Nehal Wadhera, Naman Dhir (vc), Suryansh Shedge, Ramandeep Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ashutosh Sharma, Yash Thakur, Gurjapneet Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yudhvir Singh, Abishek Porel (wk), Suyash Sharma.
Stand-bys: Gurnoor Brar, Kumar Kushagra, Tanush Kotian, Sameer Rizvi, Shaik Rasheed.
Quietly, the BCCI hopes the Rising Stars platform recreates the recent success of the Emerging Asia Cup, where several current internationals—Tilak Varma and Yashasvi Jaiswal among them—made decisive strides. Should a similar narrative unfold in Doha, India’s white-ball bench strength will look even healthier heading into the 2026 T20 World Cup cycle.
