Jitesh Sharma has been appointed captain of India A for the upcoming ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in Qatar from November 14 to 23.
Middle-order batter Naman Dhir will serve as the team’s vice-captain.
The 15-member squad, announced by the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar, features a mix of young prospects and players who have impressed in recent IPL and domestic tournaments.
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Among the most talked-about names is 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi, whose selection explains his absence from the ongoing Under-19 Challenger Trophy, an event used to shortlist players for the 2026 Under-19 World Cup.
Punjab Kings’ batter and Delhi Premier League (DPL) standout Priyansh Arya headlines the batting group.
Arya was one of the standout performers in IPL 2025, scoring 475 runs at a brisk strike rate of 179.24, the third-highest for his franchise behind Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh.
He recently made his first-class debut for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy.
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The squad also includes wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel, who is currently leading Bengal in Abhimanyu Easwaran’s absence, and consistent all-round performer Harsh Dubey.
Ramandeep Singh and Suryansh Shedge will provide balance in both departments.
The pace attack features promising bowlers Gurjapneet Singh, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yudhvir Singh, and Yash Thakur, all part of the BCCI’s targeted fast-bowling development pool.
The Rising Stars Asia Cup, formerly known as the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, will feature eight teams divided into two groups.
READ: Pakistan, India to face off as ACC reveals Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 schedule
Group A: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka
Group B: India, Oman, Pakistan, UAE
The tournament will begin with Pakistan A taking on Oman, while the high-voltage India A vs Pakistan Shaheens clash is set for November 16.
It will be the first men’s meeting between the two sides since the 2024 Asia Cup.
READ: Irfan Khan Niazi likely to lead Pakistan Shaheens in Asia Cup Rising Stars
The last Asia Cup ended in controversy when India reportedly declined to receive the trophy from ACC President and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister.
India A squad for ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025:
Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Nehal Wadhera, Naman Dhir (vice-captain), Suryansh Shedge, Jitesh Sharma (captain, wicketkeeper), Ramandeep Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ashutosh Sharma, Yash Thakur, Gurjapneet Singh, Vijay Kumar Vyshak, Yudhvir Singh, Abishek Porel (wicketkeeper), Suyash Sharma
Stand-by players: Gurnoor Brar, Kumar Kushagra, Tanush Kotian, Sameer Rizvi, Shaik Rasheed
Tournament schedule:
14 November 2025: Pakistan vs Oman
14 November 2025: India vs UAE
15 November 2025: Bangladesh vs Hong Kong
15 November 2025: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan
16 November 2025: UAE vs Oman
16 November 2025: India vs Pakistan
17 November 2025: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong
17 November 2025: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan
18 November 2025: Pakistan vs UAE
18 November 2025: India vs Oman
19 November 2025: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong
19 November 2025: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
21 November 2025: Semi-final 1 (A1 vs B2)
21 November 2025: Semi-final 2 (B1 vs A2)
23 November 2025: Final
17 November 2025: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan
18 November 2025: Pakistan vs UAE
18 November 2025: India vs Oman
19 November 2025: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong
19 November 2025: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
21 November 2025: Semi-final 1 (A1 vs B2)
21 November 2025: Semi-final 2 (B1 vs A2)
23 November 2025: Final
