Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026: Tilak Varma leads India A; Sooryavanshi picked
By Aarav DeshpandeSports Correspondent, Peepals Yuva
Representative image: Andrys / Pixabay
The BCCI on 2 November 2026 named Tilak Varma captain of a 15-member India A squad for the ACC Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha from 19 to 29 November.
What Happened
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday, 2 November 2026, named a 15-member India A squad for the Asian Cricket Council's Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup, to be played in Doha, Qatar, from 19 to 29 November. Tilak Varma, India's T20 international vice-captain, will lead the side, with Rajat Patidar as his deputy. The squad includes well-known names such as Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh and Harshit Rana alongside the young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The selected players will miss a large part of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's domestic T20 competition, for their states.
Key Facts
- Tournament: ACC Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026.
- Venue and dates: Doha, Qatar, 19 to 29 November 2026.
- Captain: Tilak Varma; vice-captain: Rajat Patidar.
- Batters and wicketkeepers: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rinku Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Kumar Kushagra and Suryansh Shedge, along with the captain and vice-captain.
- All-rounders and spinners: Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey and Tanush Kotian.
- Fast bowlers: Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav and Arshad Khan.
- Domestic impact: the players will be away for much of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Why It Matters
The Rising Stars Asia Cup is the Asian Cricket Council's tournament for emerging players, the next tier below full international cricket. For India, it is a chance to give young players a taste of tournament pressure abroad, in a format where every match counts.
The squad is a strong one. Tilak Varma is India's T20 international vice-captain, and Rajat Patidar has captained a side to two IPL titles. Sending them suggests the selectors want to win the event, not only to test newcomers. It also gives Varma a full tournament as captain, which builds leadership experience for a player already in India's T20 leadership group.
The pick that will draw most attention is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. A place in an India A squad is a recognised step on the path towards senior selection. Playing alongside Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order, he will face bowlers from across Asia whom he would not meet in domestic cricket.
There is a trade-off. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is India's main domestic T20 competition and a shop window for IPL scouts. Fifteen leading young players will miss much of it, which weakens their state teams and removes their chance to impress in that event. For the players themselves, though, the international exposure in Doha is likely to count for more.
For young cricketers watching, the squad shows the route that now exists: strong IPL and domestic seasons lead to India A tours and tournaments, and those lead to the senior team.
Peepals timeline: On 2 November 2026, the BCCI announced the 15-member India A squad. Play in Doha runs from 19 to 29 November 2026, an 11-day tournament window (29 − 19 + 1 = 11). The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy runs during the same period, which is why the selected players will miss much of it.
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Captain | Tilak Varma |
| Vice-captain | Rajat Patidar |
| Batters and keepers | Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rinku Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Suryansh Shedge |
| All-rounders and spinners | Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian |
| Fast bowlers | Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan |
Impact
Short-term: The selected players join the India A camp ahead of the Doha tournament and step away from their state teams in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Long-term: Strong performances could push younger players such as Sooryavanshi, Kushagra and Shedge closer to senior selection, and give Tilak Varma valuable captaincy experience.
Who is affected: The 15 selected players, their state teams in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, IPL franchises watching young talent, and fans following India's next generation.
What to watch next: The tournament in Doha from 19 to 29 November 2026.
Key Takeaway
India have sent a strong India A squad led by Tilak Varma to the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha, blending established T20 players with rising talent such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Questions and Answers
Who is the captain of India A for the ACC Men's Rising Asia Cup 2026?
Tilak Varma will captain India A, with Rajat Patidar as vice-captain, the BCCI announced on 2 November 2026.
When and where is the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026?
It will be played in Doha, Qatar, from 19 to 29 November 2026.
Is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the India A squad?
Yes. He is named in the 15-member squad along with Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh and Prabhsimran Singh among the batters.
Will these players play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy?
They will miss a large part of it, because the tournament in Doha overlaps with India's domestic T20 competition.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Aarav Deshpande, Sports CorrespondentCovers Sports and more for Peepals Yuva. All stories by Aarav Deshpande
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Aarav Deshpande is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
