Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday named KL Rahul as Virat Kohli’s deputy for the upcoming Test series against South Africa. Reacting to Rahul’s appointment, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra feels veteran Ajinkya Rahane “might find it difficult” to keep his place in India’s playing XI.
“KL Rahul has been named India’s vice-test captain (for the South Africa series because Rohit Sharma is injured. Rahul Dravid is the coach, Rohit is the white ball formats captain,” Chopra said.
Rohit replaced Ajinkya Rahane as the vice-captain of the Indian Test team earlier this month when the 18-member squad was announced by the BCCI selectors. But the 34-year-old injured his left hamstring while batting in the nets in Mumbai, which eventually pulled him out out of the entire series.
“I think Rahul could be named vice-captain in The ODIs too. Ajinkya Rahane might struggle to find a place in the XI. He was captain a few test matches ago, but at the moment he’s not even vice captain. Things are changing in Indian cricket, “Chopra asserted.
Incidentally, Ajinkya Rahane has been under the scanner for his below-par performances in recent times. His average in the 16 Test matches that he has played in the last two years is only 24.39 with only one hundred in Melbourne against Australia and two fifties respectively.
Rahul has now been promoted to the vice-captain’s position and is already being looked at as a long-term potential leader in the coming days. After his unbeaten performance with the bat in the England Tests earlier this year where he scored 315 runs from 4 matches. Rahul has played 40 Tests so far for India since his debut in 2014 and amassed 2321 runs at 35.16 with 6 hundreds and 12 fifties.
“The All-India Senior selection committee has named KL Rahul as vice-captain for the upcoming 3-match Test series against South Africa. KL Rahul replaces Rohit Sharma as vice-captain, who was ruled out of the Test series owing to a hamstring injury,” the BCCI confirmed on Saturday.
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