Tilak Varma Takes the Helm: India’s Rising Stars Gear Up for Emerging Teams Asia League

Hyderabad and Mumbai batter Tilak Varma has been appointed as the skipper of the India A squad for the forthcoming Emerging Teams Asia League to be hosted in Oman. The tournament which will be played in the T20 format, shall be organised in Muscat from October 18-27. While Varma is set to captain the side, dashing opening batter Abhishek Sharma has been named as his deputy in the 15-man squad. 

Abhishek is also one of the two players to have played in the tournament's last edition in 2023. Left-arm spin bowler Nishant Sindhu is the other team survivor who boasts plenty of stars. Besides the captain and vice-captain, the batting order also comprises blistering alternatives in Prabhsimran Singh, Ayush Badoni and Nehal Wadhera- all of whom have made quick strides in the T20 form recently.  

Ramandeep Singh, who produced crucial cameos in Kolkata’s title-winning campaign in 2024, also has been named. The bowling prowess revolves around pacer Anshul Kamboj and left-arm spinner Sai Kishore with numerous coherent options also in the mix. The men in blue are placed in Group B with Oman, Pakistan-A and UAE. Varma and Co will begin their campaign by squaring off with arch-rivals Pakistan A on October 19.  

India A squad: Tilak Varma (c), Abhishek Sharma (vc), Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Nishant Sindhu, Ramandeep Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Ayush Badoni, Anuj Rawat (WK), Sai Kishore, Hrithik Shokeen, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Anshul Kamboj, Aquib Khan, Rasik Salam