Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 8: Rajat Patidar has withdrawn from India's squad for the upcoming ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup after informing the BCCI that he does not wish to be considered for selection in the 50-over format while managing his existing injury concerns.
Following his withdrawal, the Men's Selection Committee has named Ayush Badoni as his replacement and appointed Rinku Singh as vice-captain. Tilak Varma will continue to lead India A in the tournament, which begins in Doha on November 19.
The squad includes several prominent T20 players, including Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rinku Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh. India's spin attack will feature Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey and Tanush Kotian. Dubey recently claimed nine wickets for 53 runs in a Ranji Trophy match, while Kotian has been Mumbai's leading wicket-taker in the 2026-27 season.
India A squad: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (captain), Rinku Singh (vice-captain), Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan and Ayush Badoni.
India A have been placed in Group B alongside the United Arab Emirates, Nepal and Pakistan A. Group A comprises Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for November 26 and 27. The final will be played on November 29.
India A's group-stage clash against Pakistan A on November 22 is expected to be one of the tournament's major fixtures.