Jasprit Bumrah likely to feature in India's Asia Cup squad
What's the story
Jasprit Bumrah, India's star pacer, is likely to play in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, as per PTI. The tournament will be held from September 9-28. However, he might miss the first Test of a two-match series against the West Indies from October 2-6 at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. This decision comes as part of a strategy to manage his workload effectively.
Injury recovery
Bumrah's performance in England series
Bumrah was instrumental in India's 2-2 Test series draw against England, taking 14 wickets. However, he only played three out of five games due to his workload being managed after a back injury he suffered during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia last year. Despite initial reports suggesting he would miss the Asia Cup 2025, recent updates indicate that he will be part of the tournament.
Squad formation
Asia Cup squad announcement timeline
The squad for Asia Cup 2025 is likely to be announced on August 19 or 20, depending on when the BCCI Center of Excellence's Sports Science team submits a medical report for all players. The selection committee is not expected to make major changes in the top order, with Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya likely to retain their spots.
Team dynamics
Other key takeaways for Team India
Bumrah's possible absence from the first Test against West Indies could be a strategic move by the Indian cricket team management to ensure his fitness for Asia Cup 2025. Shubman Gill is likely to be named vice-captain of Suryakumar Yadav, which could mean Axar Patel might lose his spot as the current deputy in India's T20I side.