BCCI to break tradition, likely to skip press conference for Asia Cup 2025 Squad reveal

The Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) is set to announce India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025, but there is uncertainty over how the announcement will be made. According to a report in the Times of India, the board may skip the traditional press conference and instead release the list of 15 players through an online press release or on its official website.

The selection committee, led by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, is currently meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, to finalize the squad. Initially, a press conference was expected after the meeting, but sources now indicate that the board could opt for a simpler approach. Cricbuzz has also reported that there may not be any press interaction regarding the announcement.

Selectors face Asia Cup 2025 squad dilemma

The team selection itself has generated strong debate. The positive update on the squad is that Jasprit Bumrah is fit and available to feature in the shorter format of the game for the Asia Cup. The 31-year-old recently featured in the home Test series against England, where he claimed 14 wickets in three matches, underlining his form ahead of the tournament.

On the batting front, there could be disappointment for Test captain Shubman Gill, who was likely to be part of the squad earlier, but now, with recent developments around India Asia Cup Squad 2025, he will not feature and will be dropped. Reports suggest that selectors are more inclined towards Yashasvi Jaiswal as an opener, given his consistent role in the T20 squad since the 2024 World Cup. Including Gill would require changes to the batting order, which the management is reportedly not in favor of.

Suryakumar Yadav, who has cleared his fitness test, is expected to continue as captain of the T20 side. Final discussion between selectors, team management, and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is scheduled for August 19, before the squad is officially confirmed. The Asia Cup 2025 will take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28, and India will use the competition to polish their squad for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup.

So, if confirmed, this will be one of the rare instances where the BCCI skips a press conference for a major tournament squad announcement, relying instead on digital communication to release the details.