Who is the only India cricketer in Asia Cup squad to have not played under captain Suryakumar Yadav?

Suryakumar Yadav succeeded Rohit Sharma as India’s T20I captain following the team’s triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup. While Hardik Pandya was widely seen as the frontrunner for the role, having served as Rohit’s long-time deputy, the selectors and team management opted to back Suryakumar. Since taking over, he has impressed with his leadership, guiding India to series victories over Australia, England, and South Africa, among others. These wins have not only boosted his confidence but also set a strong foundation for the upcoming Asia Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Notably, India will begin their Asia Cup campaign on September 10 against UAE. The Men in Blue will regroup on September 4, and the preparatory camp will start on the following day. Ahead of that, the big question remains on the availability of Jasprit Bumrah. The pacer featured in only three Tests against England, and there was doubt on whether he would be named in the Asia Cup squad. He eventually found a spot, but may not feature in all matches.

Interestingly, Bumrah is the only Indian cricketer not to have played under Suryakumar ever in his career. The flamboyant batter has led Mumbai Indians as well, but Bumrah missed those matches as well.

India’s opening dilemma

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson proved their mettle as India’s openers in the shortest format of the game. In the past year, they have dominated almost all opponents, establishing their authority in the middle. However, the pair may get discontinued as Shubman Gill has been named the vice-captain of the side. He is very likely to take up the opener’s slot, which might push Samson to number three.

It will result in Suryakumar batting at four, Tilak Varma at five and Hardik Pandya at six. It’s not the batting order that India followed since the T20 World Cup 2024, and hence, it needs to be seen how they approach in the Asia Cup.