Why KL Rahul has been removed as Team India vice-captain

Team India batter KL Rahul finds himself in a tough spot after the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

In the squad for the remainder of the series, the Karnataka-born player was not named vice-captain of the team, a role he has assumed ever since Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy.

Rahul was removed as vice-captain in the ODI format as well prior to the three-match series against Sri Lanka in January 2022. Despite his presence in the squad, it was Hardik Pandya who was assigned the role of Rohit's deputy.

The right-handed batter has struggled heavily, especially in red-ball cricket of late. He has not been among the runs in the ongoing series against Australia and his woes date back to the South African tour in January last year, where he faded away after beginning on a high note.

Team India have not named a vice-captain for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and according to reports, skipper Rohit has been entrusted with the task of finding his deputy.

Rahul has averaged 15.9 in Tests since the start of 2022, with his last 50-plus score coming during the previously mentioned South Africa tour. He has nearly cemented his place in the ODI setup on the back of Rishabh Pant's injury but has been unable to translate the form into the longest format.

Several have opined that Rahul's hold in the playing XI stems from the fact that he is the vice-captain of the side. Shubman Gill has progressed well and is waiting on the sidelines with a string of dominant scores under his belt.

---

Who could replace KL Rahul as Team India's vice-captain?

In terms of pure experience, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin emerged as solid candidates to consult Rohit Sharma on the field for the current series, if required.

Jasprit Bumrah is also a potential option in the long run, having led India during the rescheduled Test against England in 2022 before his injury.

Virat Kohli is unlikely to be in the scheme of things when the captaincy is concerned. He stepped down from the role as captain after Team India's defeat in South Africa in January 2022.

Who will be named as Team India's vice-captain? Let us know what you think.

---