India’s Abhishek Sharma, left, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (AP/PTI Photo)
NEW DELHI: The BCCI on Monday announced a strong 15-member India A squad for the upcoming ACC Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026 in Doha, with explosive opener Abhishek Sharma and teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi among the prominent names in the lineup. Tilak Varma has been appointed captain, while experienced batter Rajat Patidar will serve as his deputy for the tournament, scheduled to be held in Qatar from November 19 to 29. The squad features several players who were part of India’s recent T20I assignment against New Zealand, which the senior side won 3-2. They will begin their campaign against Nepal on November 20 at the West End Park International Stadium in Doha before facing arch-rivals Pakistan A at the same venue on November 22. Their final group-stage fixture will be against the UAE on November 24.
Captain Tilak and Patidar add experience and stability to the middle order, while Rinku Singh brings his reputation as a finisher. Prabhsimran Singh and Kumar Kushagra are the two wicketkeeping options in the squad. The all-rounders’ department features Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey and Tanush Kotian, providing the team with multiple batting and bowling options.