As many as nine members of India’s gold medal-winning squad from the 2023 Asian Games have reportedly been included in a 30-member list of probables for the 2026 edition of the continental event, scheduled to be held in Japan in September. The list features 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and senior batter Shreyas Iyer, while T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav is reportedly not among the names under consideration.
According to a report by Amar Ujala, the BCCI has shared a pool of 30 players with the organisers of the Asian Games, from which the final 15-member squad will be selected. The men’s cricket competition is scheduled to take place from September 24 to October 3.
Among those included is Ruturaj Gaikwad, who captained India to the gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games. The opener has not featured in a T20I since India’s tour of Zimbabwe in July 2024 but remains in contention for another appearance at the continental event.
The timing of the tournament presents a unique challenge for Indian cricket. The Asian Games will overlap with India’s three-match ODI series against the West Indies at home, scheduled from September 27 to October 3. With head coach Gautam Gambhir expected to be occupied with the ODI assignments, former India great VVS Laxman is likely to take charge of the Asian Games squad.
One of the biggest talking points is the inclusion of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenage batter enjoyed a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 776 runs in 16 innings at a staggering strike rate of 237.31. He also broke Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for the most sixes in a single IPL season, smashing 72 maximums and emerging as one of the biggest stars of the tournament.
With performances well beyond his years, calls for Sooryavanshi’s India debut have continued to grow. Before the Asian Games, India are also scheduled to tour Ireland for a two-match T20I series, followed by a five-match T20I series in England, providing additional opportunities for selectors to assess emerging talent ahead of the continental event.
