Tilak Varma, the talented batter from Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, has been named captain of the India A squad for the upcoming Emerging Teams Asia Cup, scheduled in Oman. The tournament, which will follow the T20 format, is set to take place in Muscat from October 18-27. Alongside Varma, explosive opening batter Abhishek Sharma has been appointed vice-captain in the 15-member squad, reports Live Cricket Score.
Abhishek is one of only two players from the tournament’s previous edition, held in the ODI format in 2023, to feature in the current lineup. The other returning player is left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu. The rest of the squad is filled with rising stars, including powerful hitters like Prabhsimran Singh, Ayush Badoni, and Nehal Wadhera—each of whom has shown impressive form in recent T20 competitions.
Ramandeep Singh, who played crucial cameos during Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning 2024 IPL campaign, has also secured a spot in the side. The bowling unit will be spearheaded by pacer Anshul Kamboj and left-arm spinner Sai Kishore, with several other dependable options ready to step up when needed.
India A has been placed in Group B alongside Oman, Pakistan A, and UAE. The team’s first match will be a high-octane clash against Pakistan A on October 19, kicking off their campaign with a classic rivalry.
India A squad:
Tilak Varma (C), Abhishek Sharma (VC), Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Nishant Sindhu, Ramandeep Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Ayush Badoni, Anuj Rawat (WK), Sai Kishore, Hrithik Shokeen, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Anshul Kamboj, Aquib Khan, Rasik Salam.