Shreyas, Jitesh likely to be back for Asia Cup

Shreyas Iyer and Jitesh Sharma are likely to earn a recall to India’s T20I set-up when the senior national men’s selection panel meets on Tuesday to finalise the squad for the Asia Cup to be held in the UAE from September 9.

Neither Shreyas nor Jitesh has featured in T20Is since Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach in July 2024. Shreyas last played a T20I in December 2023, while Jitesh – the wicketkeeper-batter – made his final appearance in January 2024.

Tough decision

The Hindu understands the selectors and team management are aligned on including an experienced middle-order batter suited to the slower, lower conditions expected in the UAE. If Shreyas is picked, it could mean a tough call on either Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh, both of whom were part of India’s squad for its last T20I assignment against England in January-February.

Jitesh, who played a key role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden IPL title, is expected to replace Dhruv Jurel, who was the reserve stumper to Sanju Samson during the England series.

The selectors must also decide whether to include Jasprit Bumrah in the T20I squad. With Mohammed Shami unavailable, a pacer’s slot is open. The debate could be whether to bring back Bumrah or give Prasidh Krishna a chance after a strong IPL campaign.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav, who has recovered from sports hernia, will attend the selection meeting. His input will be vital as the selectors plan for the T20 World Cup to be held in India next year.

There has been speculation about the return of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal to the T20I squad. However, the management appears inclined to stick with the core group that has excelled under Gambhir, winning 13 of 15 T20Is since his appointment.

Additionally, with minimal turnaround time between formats — the Asia Cup final is on September 28 and the first Test against the West Indies begins on October 2 in Ahmedabad — the selectors are likely to keep Gill and Jaiswal fresh for the red-ball assignments.