Is Jasprit Bumrah in India's squad for 2025 Asia Cup?

Ace Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been dominating the headlines over the past week in the build-up to the squad announcement for the 2025 Asia Cup, starting on September 9. The mystery around the 31-year-old finally ended when chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed his inclusion in the 15-member squad for the continental tournament in a press conference on Tuesday, August 19.

Bumrah raised several eyebrows by playing in only three out of the five Tests in India's recent tour of England, thanks to workload management. The champion bowler picked up 14 wickets with two 5-wicket hauls in the three Tests he played. Yet, the visitors lost two out of the three outings and won the two Tests Bumrah missed.

Talking about the plan with Bumrah and his inclusion for the Asia Cup, Agarkar said (via ESPN Cricinfo):

"I don't think there's any written plan. Been a nice break after the England series. Physios, team management been in touch. Clearly we want him available for all the big games. There are WCs, CT, big series like England, Australia - you want him available. Because he's picked up injuries over the last 2-3 years, because of how special and unique it is - it won't change. Based on how he's feeling and how we require him, we hope he's available more often than not."

After suffering an injury in the final Test in Australia earlier this year, Bumrah was relegated to the sidelines until the middle of the 2025 IPL. However, he was immediately back to his best, finishing with 18 wickets in 12 matches for the Mumbai Indians (MI) at an average of 17.55 and an economy of 6.67.

Team India squad for the 2025 Asia Cup

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh

Jasprit Bumrah hasn't featured in a T20I since the famous 2024 World Cup triumph

Jasprit Bumrah has not played a T20I for India in over a year, with his last appearance coming in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The veteran pacer bowled the Men in Blue to victory in the tournament, finishing with incredible figures of 2/18 in four overs in the grand finale against South Africa.

Bumrah was the third leading wicket-taker in the World Cup with 15 scalps at an extraordinary average of 8.26 and an economy of under five. He was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for his heroics, helping India break their ICC title drought since 2013.

Yet, the right-arm seamer has missed India's subsequent five bilateral T20I series following the World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.