India A Squad for Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026: Tilak Varma Captain, Sooryavanshi In, Schedule and Groups, Explained
The BCCI on 2 November 2026 named a 15-member India A squad for the ACC Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha from 19 to 29 November. Tilak Varma is captain and Rajat Patidar vice-captain, with Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Rinku Singh in the side and Harshit Rana back from injury. The tournament switches to 50 overs this year. India A are in Group B with Pakistan A, Nepal and the UAE.
India's selectors have sent a near full-strength white-ball group to an "emerging" tournament. On Monday, 2 November 2026, the BCCI named a 15-member India A squad for the ACC Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup, to be played in Doha, Qatar, from 19 to 29 November. Tilak Varma is captain and Rajat Patidar is vice-captain.
The squad has Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rinku Singh and Prince Yadav, and marks the return of fast bowler Harshit Rana. The bigger change is the format. The tournament moves to 50 overs this year, so the board gets a look at its T20 stars in the longer white-ball game. Here is the squad, the groups, India A's fixtures and why it matters.
The 60-second version
- Event: ACC Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026, earlier called the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, in Doha, 19 to 29 November.
- Format: 50 overs this year. The 2025 edition was a T20 event, The Economic Times reported.
- Leaders: Tilak Varma (captain), Rajat Patidar (vice-captain).
- Headline names: Abhishek Sharma, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rinku Singh, and Harshit Rana, back after injury.
- Group B: India A, Pakistan A, Nepal, UAE.
- India A fixtures: Nepal on 20 November, Pakistan A on 22 November, UAE on 24 November.
- Knockouts: Semi-finals 26 and 27 November. Final Sunday, 29 November.
The full India A squad
Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Tilak Varma (captain), Rajat Patidar (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan.
The squad was picked by the men's selection committee, IANS and The Economic Times reported.
Groups, fixtures and venues
The event has eight teams in two groups of four:
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh A | India A |
| Sri Lanka A | Pakistan A |
| Afghanistan A | Nepal |
| Hong Kong, China | UAE |
The top two in each group reach the semi-finals. Nepal, the UAE and Hong Kong, China qualified through the ACC Men's Premier Cup in Malaysia, The Economic Times reported. The Economic Times also described Pakistan A as defending champions.
India A's group games:
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 20 November | India A vs Nepal | West End Park International Cricket Stadium |
| Sunday, 22 November | India A vs Pakistan A | West End Park International Cricket Stadium |
| Tuesday, 24 November | India A vs UAE | University of Doha for Science and Technology |
Start times need checking. The Economic Times listed the Nepal and Pakistan A games at 1 pm Doha time (3:30 pm IST) and the UAE game at 9 am (11:30 am IST). Sportstar listed all three at 11:30 am IST. Doha is two and a half hours behind India, so the two reports cannot both be right for the first two games. Confirm with the ACC or the broadcaster before match day.
The semi-finals are on 26 and 27 November, and the final on Sunday, 29 November.
Why Tilak and Patidar lead
Tilak Varma is India's T20I vice-captain, IANS reported. The Economic Times noted he was part of the side that won the T20 World Cup in March, beating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final in Ahmedabad, and that he captained India A at the 2024 edition in Oman, with Abhishek as his deputy. He was also part of the India side that just beat New Zealand 3-2 in the T20I series, Cricinfo noted.
Rajat Patidar has led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL titles, Cricinfo reported. He has captained India A before, in a one-day game against Australia A in September 2025, The Economic Times said.
On X, his selection in a "Rising Stars" squad drew jokes from fans about the label, with several posts pointing out that the squad is closer to an experienced side than a group of newcomers.
Sooryavanshi, Abhishek and the 50-over test
Cricinfo said the board "appears to be keen to test how their T20 stars will adapt to the longer white-ball format."
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, keeps his place after hitting 144 off 42 balls against the UAE in last year's edition, with 15 sixes, The Economic Times reported. Cricinfo said he has played only 13 List A games, with a top score of 190.
- Abhishek Sharma has more 50-over experience, with 69 List A matches, Cricinfo reported.
- Cricinfo added that Sooryavanshi and Abhishek "are not in the running for the ODI team" for now, but have very high ceilings.
Harshit Rana's return
Harshit Rana, 24, has not played any cricket since July, when he was with the senior team in England, Cricinfo reported. A knee injury ruled him out of the T20 World Cup earlier this year and the IPL that followed. He was then picked, subject to fitness, for the T20Is against Afghanistan in September, but suffered a separate, unspecified injury at the BCCI's centre of excellence in Bengaluru.
He leads a pace group with Prince Yadav and all-rounder Suryansh Shedge. Cricinfo noted that head coach Gautam Gambhir has spoken about wanting a hitter at No. 8 for the ODI World Cup in southern Africa next October, in the context of Rana's batting.
The spinners
Cricinfo described a mix of T20 and first-class spinners:
- Vipraj Nigam, the Delhi Capitals leg-spinner.
- Harsh Dubey, the Vidarbha left-arm spinner, who took 9 for 53 in the Ranji Trophy on Monday.
- Tanush Kotian, the Mumbai off-spinner and their leading wicket-taker in 2026-27.
Shahbaz Ahmed adds left-arm spin and batting. Kushagra and Kotian were on the stand-by list last year and are now in the main squad, The Economic Times reported.
Last year's heartbreak
India A, then led by Jitesh Sharma, went out in the semi-finals of the previous edition, losing to Bangladesh A in a Super Over, Sportstar reported. This squad will be expected to go further.
What to watch next
- Confirmed match times. The two published timetables disagree for the Nepal and Pakistan A games. Expect the ACC or the broadcaster to settle it.
- India A vs Pakistan A on 22 November. The marquee group game, and the one most likely to decide the top two in Group B.
- How the T20 batters pace a 50-over innings. Sooryavanshi and Abhishek are the players the selectors most want to see in this format.
- Harshit Rana's fitness. His first match after months out will show whether he is ready for the ODI picture.
- Knockouts on 26, 27 and 29 November. A semi-final finish matched last year. The aim is the final in Doha.
India A go to Doha with a captain from the T20I leadership group, an IPL-winning deputy and a 15-year-old who already has a 144 in this event. The format is new. The first test is Nepal on 20 November.
This explainer is based on the BCCI's squad announcement of 2 November 2026 as reported by Cricinfo, Sportstar, IANS and The Economic Times, including The Economic Times' account of the ACC schedule released on 24 October. Fixture times differ between reports and may change. Check official ACC and broadcaster listings before match day.
Frequently asked questions
›Who is the captain of India A for the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026?
Tilak Varma will captain India A, and Rajat Patidar, who has led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL titles, is vice-captain. The BCCI's men's selection committee announced the 15-member squad on 2 November 2026.
›What is the full India A squad for the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026?
Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Tilak Varma (captain), Rajat Patidar (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav and Arshad Khan.
›When and where is the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026?
It runs from 19 to 29 November 2026 in Doha, Qatar. Matches are at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium and the University of Doha for Science and Technology ground. The semi-finals are on 26 and 27 November and the final on Sunday, 29 November.
›When is India A vs Pakistan A in the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026?
India A play Pakistan A on Sunday, 22 November 2026, at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha. The Economic Times listed the start as 1 pm local time, which is 3:30 pm IST. Sportstar listed 11:30 am IST, so check the broadcaster's listing closer to the day.
›Is the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026 a T20 or ODI tournament?
It is a 50-over tournament this year. Cricinfo and Sportstar reported the switch, and The Economic Times said the 2025 edition was played as a T20 event. The Economic Times also reported that India A's matches against Nepal and the UAE will carry List A status.
›Which teams are in the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026 groups?
Group A has Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China. Group B has India A, Pakistan A, Nepal and the UAE. The top two teams from each group reach the semi-finals.
›Is Harshit Rana fit again?
He has been picked for the tournament. Cricinfo reported that Rana has not played any cricket since July, when he was with the senior team in England, after a knee injury earlier in the year and a separate, unspecified injury at the BCCI's centre of excellence in Bengaluru in September.