SA vs IND: Three candidates in line to become India’s Test vice-captain
The Indian cricket team is moving through a transitional phase. After Virat Kohli gave up the T20I captaincy, the board decided to strip him of his ODI leadership. Rohit Sharma took over from Kohli in the limited-overs formats and was also named the vice-captain in Test format. However, just as the Indian team was set to depart for the South African tour, Sharma was ruled out due to an injury.
The dilemma now in front of the Indian team management is that of naming the Test vice-captain. Until the recently-concluded second Test against New Zealand, it was Ajinkya Rahane who was acting as Kohli’s deputy. However, his lean patch of batting form saw him being stripped of that title for the African tour. With him out of the race, here are the three candidates who can become India’s next Test vice-captain.
3. Ravichandran Ashwin
India’s most successful off-spinner in Test cricket, Ashwin is one of the finest bowlers India have ever produced. His cricketing nous is self-evident and his sharp intellect makes him a leadership candidate. While he is yet to lead a side in international cricket, he has led teams in the IPL and in Indian domestic cricket. At the age of 35, he might not be an ideal choice for a future captain but he can definitely be of great help for the current captain as a deputy.
2. Rishabh Pant
India have enjoyed a great reign of a legendary wicketkeeper-batsman at the helm of its international teams in the form of MS Dhoni. Pant is an ideal candidate to carry forward that legacy of Dhoni. At the young age of 24, Pant already boasts of the experience of leading his IPL team and his domestic team. Apart from his leadership credentials, Pant is one of the sure-starters in the team given the dual role that he performs. This South African tour will be the perfect opportunity to groom the youngster.
1. KL Rahul
The opening batsman has faced many ups and downs in his international career. However, at this stage, his career graph has mostly been upwards. His solid performances in the England Test series have established him as India’s first-choice opener alongside Rohit Sharma. Rahul is yet to lead India but he has led his IPL team, Punjab Kings. In the current situation, he is the front-runner for the deputy job considering his certainty in the starting XI. The 29-year old can also harbour hopes of becoming a full-time leader once the opportunity arrives.
