Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has endorsed pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's inclusion in India’s squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Bumrah has been sidelined since July 17 when he suffered a left knee impact injury while fielding during the second ODI against England in Cardiff, leading to reactive swelling.
While the right-arm quick has been named in the squad for the upcoming three-T20I series against Afghanistan, his participation remains subject to fitness clearance.
Gavaskar believes that playing competitive T20I cricket in Japan will give Bumrah an ideal buffer to find his rhythm without the grueling workload of longer formats, preparing him perfectly for the challenges in New Zealand.
"There's a fair gap between the Asian Games and the New Zealand series, so playing Bumrah in the Asian Games is actually a good idea because he has to get some bowling under his belt. In Sri Lanka, we heard Mohammad Siraj was not quite in rhythm because he hadn't played enough in competitive matches. The bowlers need to get some overs and Bumrah getting them is very essential," Gavaskar said, as quoted by TOI.
Shreyas Iyer took over as India's full-time T20I captain in June 2026, replacing Suryakumar Yadav. While his early fixtures resulted in series losses against Ireland and England, he secured his first series victory as skipper against Zimbabwe.
Despite a rough start (3 wins, 6 defeats and 1 no-result) to his captaincy stint, Gavaskar backed Iyer to successfully pilot the Indian T20I team.
"He's very experienced as a captain, having led Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. I don't think there should be any pressure on him at the Asian Games."
Following their double gold-medal victory at the Hangzhou 2022 Games, Team India will enter the continental event as defending champions.
Gavaskar emphasized that because it is a short, fast-paced T20 tournament, defending the title won’t be easy for India. He identified a highly competitive Asian circuit including an in-form Bangladesh, a consistently unpredictable Pakistan, a strong Sri Lanka, and a dangerous Afghanistan.
"It's going to be tough because it's a T20 tournament. Bangladesh are in form, Pakistan are always dangerous and Sri Lanka are a terrific team, not to forget Afghanistan, so it's not going to be easy at all," he said.
Gavaskar specifically highlighted the tournament's value for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old batting sensation who has quickly risen through the ranks of the IPL and international cricket
"To be able to meet sportspersons from other sports from across Asia can be an absolute treat. For Sooryavanshi, I hope it turns out to be even more inspirational because he will get to rub shoulders with athletes who he's looked up to," he remarked.
