Shreyas Iyer Named Captain as BCCI Announces India’s 2026 Asian Games Cricket Squad; Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Makes History at 15

In a major leadership decision, Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as India’s T20 captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav. Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain of the squad. The 31-year-old Iyer returns to India’s shortest format setup after last featuring in a T20 International in December 2023.

A landmark moment in Indian cricket selection history came with the inclusion of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who becomes the youngest player ever selected for any Indian team in an international event. His selection follows a sensational IPL 2026 season, where he emerged as the Orange Cap winner, underlining his rapid rise in domestic and franchise cricket.

India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has also been included in the Asian Games squad, strengthening the team’s bowling attack for the continental event. Cricket at the Asian Games 2026 will be played in the T20 format and will carry official international status. This will mark the fourth edition of cricket at the Asian Games.

India enters the tournament as defending champions, having secured gold medals in both the men’s and women’s cricket events at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games.

Alongside the Asian Games squad, the BCCI also announced India’s T20 squads for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England. The teams remain largely consistent across assignments, with only minor adjustments.

Notably, Jasprit Bumrah has been rested from the England tour. Mohammed Siraj and Prince Yadav have been included as replacements in the touring squad for the United Kingdom leg.

India’s tour schedule begins with two T20 Internationals against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and June 28, followed by a five-match T20I series in England from July 1 to July 11.

Cricket’s global calendar further gains significance with its confirmed return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028, reinforcing the sport’s expanding international footprint.

The Indian squad for the Asian Games 2026 comprises Shreyas Iyer as captain, Tilak Varma as vice-captain, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Varun Chakravarthy, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The announcement underscores India’s strategic balance of experienced campaigners and emerging talent as the team prepares for a high-stakes multi-nation tournament, reflecting both continuity and bold generational transition in Indian cricket.