Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been included in India’s full‑strength men’s T20 squad for the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled for September‑October in Japan. After being rested from the June‑July T20I tours of Ireland and England, he returns as the selectors prioritize ODIs ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
He replaces Mohammed Siraj, who remains selected for the T20I series in Ireland and England. Prince Yadav, the 16th member of those squads, is also omitted from the Asian Games lineup.
Newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer will captain the side in Japan, with Tilak Varma as vice‑captain. Meanwhile, 15‑year‑old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is contesting a top‑order place with the established trio of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan.
The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October. This schedule overlaps with India’s three‑match ODI series against West Indies (27 September–3 October) and the subsequent five‑match T20I series (starting 6 October).
The men’s cricket tournament will be staged in T20 format, commencing on 24 September and concluding with the final on 3 October. Ten nations—India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Oman—will vie for the gold medal.
Preliminary qualifiers run from 24 to 26 September, followed by quarter‑finals on 28‑29 September, semi‑finals on 1 October, and the bronze‑medal and gold‑medal matches on 3 October.
India men’s T20I squad for Asian Games
The 15‑member squad comprises Shreyas Iyer (captain), Sanju Samson (wicket‑keeper), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wicket‑keeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice‑captain), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Jasprit Bumrah.
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