Harshit Rana Returns to India A Squad for Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026

Key points

1. The BCCI selection committee named a 15-member India A squad for the ACC Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026, scheduled in Doha, Qatar, from November 19 to 29.
2. Tilak Varma was appointed captain and Rajat Patidar vice-captain.
3. Harshit Rana was included among the pace-bowling options alongside Prince Yadav and Arshad Khan.
4. The squad also features Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rinku Singh, Prabhsimran Singh and Kumar Kushagra.
5. India A are in Group B with Pakistan A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates; Group A comprises Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China.
6. India A will play Nepal on November 20, Pakistan A on November 22 and the UAE on November 24; the top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals.

Harshit Rana has been named in India A’s 15-member squad for the ACC Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026, which will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 19 to 29. Tilak Varma will captain the side, while Rajat Patidar has been appointed vice-captain for the tournament.

Rana included among the pace options

Rana’s selection is a notable part of the squad announcement as the fast bowler returns to a competitive assignment after an injury-disrupted period. He last featured for the senior Indian team in the T20I series against England, according to reports around the squad announcement. His subsequent injury setbacks kept him out of India’s later assignments.

The ICC reported in September that Rana had been ruled out of India’s upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan and the 2026 Asian Games after sustaining a rectus femoris strain while bowling during a match simulation. The injury came as he was progressing through rehabilitation from a hamstring problem picked up during the tour of England. His inclusion in the India A squad now gives him a place in the group selected for the Doha competition.

Rana is one of three specialist pace options named in the squad, alongside Prince Yadav and Arshad Khan. The selection committee has combined them with a group of batters and all-rounders that includes players who have already featured for the senior national side.

Tilak to lead a squad featuring established names

Tilak Varma will lead the 15-member group, with Rajat Patidar serving as his deputy. The batting group includes Abhishek Sharma, teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Rinku Singh. Prabhsimran Singh and Kumar Kushagra have been named as the two wicketkeeping options.

The rest of the squad comprises Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey and Tanush Kotian, in addition to Rana, Prince Yadav and Arshad Khan. The mix gives the team multiple batting choices and a range of all-round and bowling options for the short-format tournament.

Abhishek and Rinku bring senior international experience to the batting group, while Sooryavanshi is among the younger players included for the continental event. Patidar’s appointment as vice-captain places him in a leadership role alongside Tilak as India A prepare for a group that includes Pakistan A.

India A placed in Group B with Pakistan A

India A have been drawn in Group B with Pakistan A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates. Group A consists of Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Afghanistan A and Hong Kong, China. The competition features eight teams split into two groups, with the top two from each group progressing to the semifinals.

India A will open their campaign against Nepal on November 20 at West End Park International Stadium. The match against Pakistan A follows on November 22 at the same venue. India’s final group fixture is against the UAE on November 24 at the University of Doha for Science and Technology.

The semifinals are scheduled for November 26 and 27, while the final will be played on November 29. The group-stage sequence gives India A three matches to secure a place in the last four, with the fixture against Pakistan A likely to be one of the central contests in Group B.

A chance to build match rhythm in Doha

For Rana, the tournament offers an opportunity to return to match action within a selected India A group after the injury interruptions described in recent reports. His availability and role in the playing XI will become clearer as the team approaches its opening fixture.

For the wider squad, the Rising Stars Asia Cup provides a competitive setting for players from different stages of the national pathway. The selection includes senior international performers, domestic regulars and emerging names, with Tilak and Patidar entrusted with leadership responsibilities.

India A begin against Nepal on November 20 before meeting Pakistan A and the UAE. With the tournament running through November 29, the group will aim to progress to the semifinals and contend for the title in Doha.