Asia Cup 2025: England Series Heroics Ignored, Star Player Set To Be Dropped

The Asia Cup is set to begin on September 9, bringing together teams from the Asian continent to compete in the shortest format of the game, T20 cricket. India is preparing for the tournament with a mix of players, from experienced to younger and emerging talent. The Indian selectors have scheduled a meeting in Mumbai on August 19 to finalize the squad for the upcoming tournament.

Fans and all are excited to see the final team, but recent reports suggest that one of India’s standout performers may not be included. Mohammed Siraj, who was one of the key heroes of India’s Test series in England and delivered impressive performances in the series and also in the domestic IPL cricket, is reportedly likely to be left out of the squad. This comes as a surprise, given his consistently displayed performances. Despite finishing the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy as India’s highest wicket-taker, Siraj seems to have missed out on the consideration for the Asia Cup squad.

Mohammed Siraj Asia Cup 2025 Participation Unlikely

Mohammed Siraj’s performances in recent cricket tournaments have been commendable. In the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy 2025 against England, he emerged as India’s top bowler, taking 23 wickets in the series and producing crucial spells that helped team India make it a draw on the English soil’s challenging conditions.

The right-arm quick also had a solid IPL 2025 season, where he claimed 16 wickets for his team, showing consistency in the shortest format of the game. However, despite these achievements, reports suggest that Siraj may not make it to India Asia Cup squad. The selectors are reportedly favoring Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best bowlers in the world, to lead the pace attack, along with Arshdeep Singh and one of Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana. Hardik Pandya is expected to be another seamer in the squad, while veteran Mohammed Shami, is unlikely to be included.

The decision seems to reflect the BCCI’s preference for players with proven T20 credentials over those with recent heroics in Test cricket. Siraj’s potential omission also highlights the ongoing confusion and dilemma for the Asia Cup squad dilemma for selectors, as even top-performing players are facing tough competition for the spot, with only limited spots in India’s squad.

India Asia Cup Squad 2025 Updates: Shubman Gill To Be Dropped?

Team India is yet to announce its Asia Cup 2025 squad. Suryakumar Yadav, one of the best T20 batters in the world, is likely to lead the team and several players have received fitness clearance from the National Cricket Academy ahead of the tournament. There were earlier reports suggesting that Shubman Gill might serve as the deputy to Yadav.

However, similar to Siraj, Gill is also likely to be left out of the T20 squad. The selectors face a tough challenge in balancing experienced players with emerging talent, and Gautam Gambhir’s recommendations may influence the final decisions. The spin department is expected to include Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel, with Washington Sundar potentially filling the remaining spot.

New faces may also be introduced, reflecting India’s strategy to rotate players ahead of the busy international calendar. With the final selection meeting set for August 19 in Mumbai, cricket fans across the country are closely eyed for the 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025.

Siraj's omission from the Asia Cup 2025 squad has become a key highlight despite his excellent performances in every format he has been part of, and once again, he is likely to be sidelined, like in the Champions Trophy 2025. The decision appears to prioritise players with specialized T20 experience and also the difficult choices faced by selectors in balancing form, format suitability, and team strategy.