As the Indian men's cricket team gears up to defend its continental crown at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, an identical but changed squad is getting ready to take on the challenge. Although the men in blue have already clinched a historic T20 Asia Cup win over Pakistan in Dubai last year, the side that has traveled to Aichi-Nagoya has quite a different line-up.
The team is captained by Shreyas Iyer and his deputy Tilak Varma, with a young speedster Yash Thakur coming in as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana.
Five of India's key players who missed out on the 2025 Asia Cup are expected to provide in the Asian Games 2026:
1. Shreyas Iyer
The most intriguing story of this squad, however, is that of its leader. Shreyas Iyer has not featured in any T20I for India since March 2025. The right-hander's last appearance in the shortest format came in the form of a half-century during the 2nd Test against Australia in December 2023. Since then, he has waited a long two and a half years to lead India in a T20I series against Ireland in Belfast in June 2026.
With 62 T20I appearances, 1,423 runs, and 10 half-centuries, averaging a strike rate of 138.15, Iyer certainly has the credentials to make a statement.
2. Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan's story is similar to that of his captain. A brace of centuries in a row had propelled the southpaw to the peak of his career. However, he could manage only a duck in his last T20I, which came against Australia in Guwahati in November 2023. Kishan has been in scintillating form since January 2026, when he returned to the international arena after almost two years to face New Zealand at home in a T20I series.
In 24 innings in 2026, Kishan has already registered 854 runs at a strike rate of 173.57, including a century and six half-centuries. With 1,650 runs in 56 T20I innings, the keeper-batter is the ultimate finisher.
3. Ravi Bishnoi
The stiff competition in the spinner department saw Ravi Bishnoi miss out on the Asia Cup 2025. Spinners like Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel figured ahead of him as India retained the services of their match-winners for the upcoming triangular series. Bishnoi, however, has been in the news for all the right reasons as the wrist-spin merchant battles it out with the best-of-the-breed to make his way into the T20I squad for Japan.
Since his debut in a T20I in February 2022, Bishnoi has already picked up 67 wickets in 49 matches at an impressive average of 7.45, including two four-wicket hauls.
4. Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Kumar Reddy is a classic example of a player whose preparation was cut short due to factors outside his control. The seam-bowling all-rounder missed out on the Asia Cup 2025 due to a knee injury. He picked up the injury on the tour of England in July of last year, which saw him struggle to get fit for the tournament. However, he was able to overcome the fitness hurdle just in time for the T20I series opener against Afghanistan in Delhi.
A look at Reddy's numbers is enough to understand why he deserves plaudits for representing his country. In his five T20I innings so far, the 23-year-old has scored 90 runs at a strike rate of 180, and picked up three wickets as well. The medium-pacer will add balance to the batting lineup and provide invaluable lower-order punch.
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5. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
The most exciting prospect of the lot is teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The left-handed batter had remained off the T20I radar until the tour of England in July 2026. Sooryavanshi made his mark with an electrifying knock of 96 runs in the 1st T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare, scoring a total of 151 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 196.10 to claim the Player of the Series.
Sooryavanshi is the kind of opener that India needs in order to defend its gold medal with vigor.