A Wave of Fresh Picks, Shocks, and Strategy Shifts in Cricket’s Latest Lineups
International cricket is buzzing again as several national teams reconfigure their squads ahead of crucial tournaments. From bold omissions to surprise returns, here’s everything you need to know.
1. India’s T20 Squad for Asia Cup 2025 — Leadership Shake-Up and Big Omissions
India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup T20 in the UAE has brought a mix of traditional power and innovative approach. Suryakumar Yadav returns as captain, with Shubman Gill stepping in as vice-captain—his comeback and promotion based on excellent form during the England tour, according to top selector Ajit Agarkar (Olympics, The Times of India).
Notably absent are Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal, despite Iyer’s IPL heroics and Jaiswal’s test success. Agarkar underlined the heated competitiveness and squad dynamics underlying these challenging selections (The Times of India, mint).
Jasprit Bumrah has made a highly anticipated return—a boost to India’s pace arsenal—while Kuldeep Yadav brings spin diversity. New talents like Harshit Rana and backup keeper-batter Jitesh Sharma also join the mix (icc, The Times of India).
1. India’s T20 Squad for Asia Cup 2025 — Leadership Shake-Up and Big Omissions
- Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh (icc, mint). Standby players include Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel (mint). This squad displays a blend of leadership development, workload management, and readiness for the 2026 T20 World Cup ([NDTV Sports][8], [Hindustan Times][9]).
2. Pakistan’s Bold Squad Overhaul: Big Names Dropped
In a shocking move, Pakistan removed mainstays Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from their 17-member Asia Cup and preseason triangular series squad. Team coach Mike Hesson noted that Babar’s omission derives from areas that need work, highlighting a shift towards a dynamic, aggressive batting line-up (The Times of India, Reuters).
Veterans like Shaheen Afridi remain, while seasoned opener Fakhar Zaman secures his spot—suggesting a mix of experience and fresh game-plan direction (Reuters).
A late setback for South Africa: top pacer Kagiso Rabada is sidelined from the upcoming ODI match against Australia due to a confirmed ankle injury. In a rapid response, Kwena Maphaka, the top wicket-taker from their last T20 series, was added to the squad—though he won’t appear in the opener just yet ([Reuters][12])
3. South Africa Ramps Up: Rabada’s Injury and a Strategic Replacement
4. Women’s Game Updates: India’s World Cup Squad Revealed
India has also announced its 15-member squad for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. Harmanpreet Kaur leads as captain, with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain. The pick creates a balance between seasoned professionals and new talent, suggesting strong purpose ahead of the global extravaganza ([The Economic Times][13]).
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