A 15-member India A squad has been finalised on the evening of November 2 for the Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup, which will take place in Doha, Qatar, between November 19 and November 29. Tilak Varma has been entrusted with the captaincy of the touring contingent, while two-time IPL-winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru leader Rajat Patidar will serve as the vice-captain. Dynamic opening batter Abhishek Sharma and emerging prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi are also prominent inclusions in the selected line-up.
Leadership Role and Solid Form for Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar, who guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back IPL titles, steps into the leadership core as India A vice-captain. The 33-year-old batter has previously represented the senior Indian national side across three Test matches and a solitary ODI. Patidar made his 50-over international debut back in 2023 and earned his Test caps during 2024, though he has remained away from the senior national setup since that window. Nonetheless, consistent showings have kept him central to India A assignments.
During the 2026 IPL season, Patidar produced a prolific batting run, accumulating 501 runs in 15 appearances with the help of five half-centuries. His consistent scoring paved the way for continued opportunities with the second-string national squad, including an appearance in October against Australia A. His leadership credentials and heavy domestic scoring have now secured him the second-in-command role in Doha.
Tournament Schedule, Groups and Key Fixtures
The continental event splits the competitors across two pools, with India grouped alongside Pakistan, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates in Group B. Group A comprises Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A, and Hong Kong. Tournament action begins for India A on November 20 with their opening encounter against Nepal. The high-voltage rivalry resumes on November 22 when India A takes on Pakistan A, before finishing their preliminary round matches on November 24 against the UAE. The knockout phase begins shortly after, with the first semifinal scheduled for November 26, the second on November 27, and the grand finale slated for November 29.
Complete 15-Member India A Squad
The announced touring party features Tilak Varma as captain and Rajat Patidar as vice-captain. The batting and keeping options include Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh, Rinku Singh, and Kumar Kushagra. All-round depth and bowling options are supplied by Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, and Arshad Khan.
