The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday unveiled a 15-member India A squad for the upcoming ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025, set to take place in Qatar from November 14 to 23.
The team
will be captained by explosive wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, who will lead a promising mix of IPL talents and emerging domestic stars.
The lineup features several exciting names from India's next generation of cricketers, including teen prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, and Nehal Wadhera, all of whom have impressed with their performances in domestic and franchise cricket. The selection underscores India's focus on grooming young players for future international assignments.
The Rising Stars Asia Cup will kick off with Oman taking on Pakistan in the opening clash, while India begin their campaign against UAE on November 14. The tournament's grand finale is scheduled for November 23. India A find themselves in Group B, which also includes Oman, UAE, and Pakistan A - setting up yet another highly anticipated India-Pakistan encounter.
This marks the fifth on-field meeting between Indian and Pakistani teams since the tragic Pahalgam terrorist attack earlier this year. While the senior Indian teams have refrained from direct bilateral engagements as a mark of respect and solidarity with the victims, the developmental sides will cross paths in Qatar under the ACC banner.
The men's senior team recently dominated Pakistan across formats, securing victories in all three matches of the 2025 Asia Cup T20 in the UAE, including the final. India's women's side, too, maintained their supremacy with a convincing win over Pakistan during their title-winning campaign in the 2025 ICC Women's World Cup.
As the young guns gear up for the Rising Stars Asia Cup, all eyes will be on how Jitesh Sharma's men handle the pressure of carrying forward India's strong run against Pakistan and the rest of Asia. With a blend of youth, form, and flair, the India A squad promises an exciting brand of cricket in Qatar.
India A's squad for Rising Stars Asia Cup: Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Nehal Wadhera, Naman Dhir (VC), Suryansh Shedge, Jitesh Sharma (C) (WK), Ramandeep Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ashutosh Sharma, Yash Thakur, Gurjapneet Singh, Vijay Kumar Vyshak, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Abhisek Porel (WK), Suyash Sharma.
Stand-by Players: Gurnoor Singh Brar, Kumar Kushagra, Tanush Kotian, Sameer Rizvi, Shaik Rasheed.
