India announce squad for inaugural Asian Legends Cup 2026 in Thailand

Published - 21 Dec 2025, 15:23 IST | Updated - 21 Dec 2025, 15:25 IST

The Board for Veteran Cricket in India (Board for Veteran Cricket in India) has officially announced the Indian squad for the inaugural Asian Legends Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from January 28 to February 4.

The Asian Legends Cup is a first-of-its-kind continental championship for veteran cricketers aged 40 and above and will feature six Asian teams — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE, and Hong Kong. The tournament marks a historic milestone as India’s veteran team will participate in its first-ever Asia-level competition.

Manpreet Gony has been named captain of the Indian side, with Jatin Saxena appointed as vice-captain. The squad has been selected based on performances in recent inter-zonal veterans’ tournaments and represents a balanced mix of experienced domestic performers from across the country.

Manpreet Gony (Captain) – North Zone, Jatin Saxena (Vice-Captain) – East Zone, Shadab Jakati – West Zone, Amardeep Sonkar – North Zone, Ajit Chandela – North Zone, Vrjay Singh – North Zone, Parvinder Singh – Central Zone, Kapil Rana – Central Zone, Mohammad Kaleem Khan – East Zone, Deepak Sharma (Wicketkeeper) – Central Zone, Praveen Thapar – North Zone, Vikram Batra (Wicketkeeper) – East Zone, Naeem – South Zone, Bal Raj – South Zone, Gaurav Sachdeva – Central Zone, Narendra Meena – Central Zone, Lokesh Jain – Central Zone, Vineet Bansal – West Zone, Chandrashekhar Khunte – East Zone.

Additional Player: Chandrashekhar Khunte – East Zone

Speaking about the squad announcement, BVCI officials stated that the team reflects the depth and strength of India’s veteran cricket ecosystem, which has been active for over two decades. The Asian Legends Cup is seen as a major step toward providing retired cricketers with a competitive international platform and strengthening veteran cricket across the continent.

The tournament will be broadcast live globally on YouTube and FanCode, allowing fans worldwide to witness veteran stars from across Asia in action.

The Asian Legends Cup is expected to become an annual event, with plans already underway to expand the concept further, including the possibility of a Veterans’ World Cup in the future.