BCCI announces India A replacement after injury setback, Gujarat Titans pacer earns call-up

India A have made a change to their squad midway through the ongoing tri-nation ODI series in Sri Lanka, with a young fast bowler getting an opportunity after an injury setback within the camp.

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The series, featuring India A, Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, has already produced several closely fought contests, and the latest squad update comes ahead of the final phase of the tournament in Dambulla.

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The BCCI on Tuesday confirmed that pacer Ashok Sharma has been added to the India A squad as a replacement for Yudhvir Singh.

Yudhvir picked up a shoulder injury during the tour and will now focus on recovery under the supervision of the BCCI medical staff.

“The Men’s Selection Committee has named Ashok Sharma as a replacement for Yudhvir Singh in the India A squad for the ongoing tri-series in Sri Lanka. Yudhvir reported discomfort in his right shoulder while bowling on 13th June and also experienced similar pain earlier during a fielding session on 11th June,” the BCCI said in a statement.

“The BCCI Medical Team, after consultation with a specialist, recommended that Yudhvir undergo a graduated rehabilitation programme under the supervision of the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) to achieve a full recovery from the right rotator cuff injury,” the statement added.

Reward for impressive IPL and domestic performances

Ashok has been one of the emerging fast-bowling names in Indian cricket over the last year.

The right-arm pacer impressed during IPL 2026 while representing the Gujarat Titans, picking up six wickets in six matches and playing his part in the franchise’s run to the final.

He had a brilliant Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign in 2025-26, ending up as the highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 22 wickets in 10 matches.

His ability to generate pace and trouble batters consistently helped him move into the national selectors’ radar.

Domestic move to Gujarat confirmed

The call-up comes shortly after Ashok completed a domestic cricket switch from Rajasthan to Gujarat ahead of the new season.

The fast bowler has already received the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) and is set to represent Gujarat in domestic competitions going forward.

“Ashok will be playing domestic cricket from Gujarat and has got the NOC. That’s really good for the team’s set-up, considering he has been in good form and even clocked a 154.2 kmph delivery in IPL 2026,” sources told IANS.

He becomes the second prominent player after leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi to move from Rajasthan to Gujarat in domestic cricket.

Previous India A experience

Ashok is not entirely new to the India A environment.

He was previously part of the India A squad that played warm-up matches against USA and Namibia ahead of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup.

The latest selection gives him another chance to impress and strengthen his case for higher honours in the future.

Updated India A squad: Tilak Varma (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur, Anshul Kamboj, Arshad Khan, Anukul Roy and Ashok Sharma.