The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Sunday announced significant changes to the India A squad for the ACC Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026, after Rajat Patidar withdrew from the tournament to manage existing injuries, with Ayush Badoni named as his replacement and Rinku Singh promoted to vice-captain.
Patidar, the 33-year-old middle-order batter, had been named vice-captain of the 15-member squad led by Tilak Varma when it was announced on November 2. But on Sunday the board confirmed that he had asked not to be considered for selection in the 50-over format while he deals with his injuries, and that he had consequently been withdrawn from the squad for the tournament in Doha, Qatar.
"Rajat Patidar has communicated to the BCCI that he should not be considered for selection in the 50-over format as he manages his existing injuries. Accordingly, he has been withdrawn from the India A squad for the ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup. The Men's Selection Committee has named Rinku Singh as vice-captain, while Ayush Badoni has been added to the squad in Patidar's place," the board said in its statement.
Badoni, the Delhi all-rounder, steps into the squad after playing for Delhi against Services in the Ranji Trophy. The 26-year-old has been a consistent performer on the domestic circuit, and his call-up is a reward for his form with bat and ball.
Rinku Singh, meanwhile, takes over as vice-captain, a promotion that reflects his standing in the white-ball game and his experience at the international level, where he has established himself as one of India's most reliable finishers in limited-overs cricket.
The changes leave the leadership of the side in experienced hands. Tilak Varma continues as captain, with Rinku as his deputy, and the squad retains a strong core of young talent.
The full 15-member squad is: Tilak Varma (captain), Rinku Singh (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Suryansh Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nigam, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan and Ayush Badoni.
Patidar's withdrawal is a setback for the player and for the side. He captained Madhya Pradesh in three matches in the first leg of the Ranji Trophy, scoring hundreds against Puducherry and Bihar, and he played in the state's most recent Ranji Trophy match against Vidarbha. His form with the bat had made him a central figure in the India A plans, and his experience in the middle order would have been valuable in a tournament featuring several strong emerging sides.
The decision to step away from 50-over selection while managing his injuries suggests a careful approach to his fitness, and a recognition that the longer format places particular demands on a player carrying an injury. Patidar has not specified the nature of the injuries, and the board's statement referred only to existing injuries that he is managing.
His withdrawal from the Rising Stars Asia Cup follows that logic: rather than risk aggravating the problem in a tournament that runs for ten days, he has chosen to stand down and focus on his recovery.
For Badoni, the call-up is a significant opportunity. The Delhi all-rounder has been on the fringes of national selection, and a tournament like the Rising Stars Asia Cup offers a platform to press his case. The competition, organised by the Asian Cricket Council for emerging players, brings together the A teams of the region's leading cricket nations, and performances in it are closely watched by selectors.
Badoni's ability to contribute with both bat and ball makes him a useful addition to a squad that is already rich in all-round options.
Rinku Singh's elevation to vice-captain is equally notable. The left-handed batter from Uttar Pradesh has become a fixture in India's limited-overs sides, known for his calm under pressure and his ability to finish matches. His appointment as deputy to Tilak Varma gives the side a leader who has played international cricket and who understands the demands of tournament play, and it underlines the regard in which he is held by the selectors.
The Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026 will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 19 to 29, with eight teams competing across two groups. India A are placed in Group B alongside Nepal, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan A, and will begin their campaign against Nepal at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha on November 20. They will then face arch-rivals Pakistan A on November 22 and the UAE on November 24, before the knockout stages of the tournament.
The final will take place on November 29.
The tournament is an important fixture in the calendar for emerging players, offering competitive international cricket against strong opposition in conditions that will test technique and temperament. For India A, it is also a chance to blood the next generation of talent, with several members of the squad already on the radar for senior selection.
Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma have both played for the senior side, and the likes of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, one of the youngest players in the squad, represent the future of Indian batting.
The schedule gives India A a demanding start, with the match against Pakistan A on November 22 likely to be the most closely watched fixture of the group stage. India A and Pakistan A meetings are always keenly contested, even at this level, and the fixture will draw attention beyond the tournament itself. The opener against Nepal on November 20, however, comes first, and the team management will be keen to start with a win.
The squad changes announced on Sunday mean the side will travel to Doha with a slightly different balance from the one originally envisaged. The loss of Patidar's experience in the middle order is real, but the promotion of Rinku Singh and the inclusion of Badoni give the team fresh energy and flexibility.
The selectors' faith in the squad's depth will be tested in the coming weeks, and the performances in Doha will be read as an indicator of the health of India's emerging talent pipeline.
For Patidar, the hope will be that the break allows him to return to full fitness and resume his push for higher honours. He has shown his quality in domestic cricket, with hundreds in the Ranji Trophy this season, and his absence from the Rising Stars Asia Cup is a reminder of how fine the margins are in professional sport, where an injury can derail even the best-laid plans.
His withdrawal is a loss for India A, but it opens a door for Badoni, and it gives Rinku Singh a leadership role that may prove significant for his own career.
As the squad gathers for the tournament, the focus will be on the cricket. Ten days in Doha, three group matches and then the knockouts, with a trophy at stake and reputations to be made. The changes of Sunday have altered the cast, but not the ambition: India A travel to Qatar to win the Rising Stars Asia Cup, and to show that the next generation of Indian cricket is ready.
(Reporting based on Cricbuzz and Times Now.)