Board of Control for Cricket in India selectors named Tilak Varma captain of a 15-member India A squad for the ACC Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026 on Monday, November 2, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar appointed vice-captain for the tournament in Doha, Qatar, from November 19 to 29.
Selection matters because India A are rebuilding after last year’s semi-final exit, and the squad pairs established senior internationals with the next generation of Indian batting talent in a group that includes defending champions Pakistan A.
Tilak, India’s Twenty20 International vice-captain, will lead a side that also includes explosive opener Abhishek Sharma, teenage batting prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and finisher Rinku Singh, according to the squad announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Patidar brings proven leadership to the deputy role, having led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the Indian Premier League title and having captained India A before, in a one-day game against Australia A in September 2025.
A squad built around senior experience and young batting talent
Prabhsimran Singh and Kumar Kushagra are the two wicketkeepers in the squad, giving the team flexibility at the top of the order and behind the stumps.
Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi headline the young batting group, while Rinku Singh’s reputation as a finisher gives the middle and lower order a recognised closer in tight games.
Tilak himself has spoken about his preference for batting high in the order, saying: “I always like batting in the top order, at No.3.”
That versatility matters for an A team, where players are often asked to adapt to different roles as selectors assess who can step up to the senior side.
Harshit Rana returns as bowling group takes shape
Seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana returns to the squad after injury, having been sidelined since the tour of England.
Reports on his recovery describe a rectus femoris strain suffered while bowling during a match simulation at the Board of Control for Cricket in India Centre of Excellence on September 7, after he had initially reported there for hamstring injury rehabilitation.
Rana joins a bowling group that includes Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Vipraj Nigam and Shahbaz Ahmed, alongside all-round options in Suryansh Shedge.
Shahbaz Ahmed and the spin options give Tilak and Patidar balance on Doha surfaces, where control through the middle overs can decide close games against fellow A sides.
Group B path: Nepal first, then Pakistan A
India A have been drawn in Group B with the United Arab Emirates, Nepal and Pakistan A, while Group A features Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China.
India A will open their campaign against Nepal on November 20 at the West End Park International Stadium, according to the schedule reported with the squad announcement.
They will then face Pakistan A at the same venue on November 22, before ending the group stage against the United Arab Emirates at the University of Doha for Science and Technology on November 24.
Only the top two sides from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for November 26 and 27, with the final set for November 29.
A sweeping change from the 2025 squad
Squad announcement also marks a sweeping change from the 2025 India A side that played the previous edition of the competition in Doha.
Tilak and Patidar take over the leadership duties from Jitesh Sharma and Naman Dhir, who were captain and vice-captain last year.
Sooryavanshi, Shedge and Dubey are the only players retained from the 2025 squad, while the omissions include Jitesh, Dhir, Priyansh Arya, Abishek Porel, Ashutosh Sharma, Nehal Wadhera, Ramandeep Singh, Suyash Sharma, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Yash Thakur and Vijaykumar Vyshak.
India A crashed out in the semi-finals in the previous edition after losing to Bangladesh A on a Super Over, a result that gives this year’s squad a clear point to improve on.
Players named in the squad will also miss a large part of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for their respective states, underlining how seriously the selectors view the Doha tournament as a testing ground.
Full India A squad
Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (captain), Rajat Patidar (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav and Arshad Khan.
What happens next is straightforward: India A travel to Doha for the November 19 start, with the Nepal opener on November 20 as the first test of a new leadership pair and a largely new squad.
