KL Rahul has been selected vice-captain for the forthcoming three-match Test series against South Africa by the All-India Senior Selection Committee. “Rohit Sharma, who was ruled out of the Test series due to a hamstring injury, has been replaced as vice-captain by KL Rahul,” Shah said in a statement.
On December 13, the PTI reported that Rahul is the favourite for the vice-captaincy.
Rohit, who had taken over as vice-captain for the Test series from Ajinkya Rahane, injured his left hamstring during a net session in Mumbai, ruling him out for at least three to four weeks.
It was difficult for the selectors to return to Rahane, who is no longer a sure thing in Test XI, and it may be too soon for Rishabh Pant to be elevated to vice-captain of the national side.
Rahul is currently regarded as one of the few all-around specialists.
KL Rahul, India’s opening batsman, will be the team’s vice-captain during the three-match Test series against South Africa, which begins on December 26 in Centurion. Rahul will replace Rohit Sharma, who has been ruled out of the Test series due to a hamstring injury.
When the BCCI selectors unveiled the Indian Test team’s 18-member squad earlier this month, Rohit replaced Ajinkya Rahane as vice-captain. However, when batting in the nets at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, the 34-year-old injured his left hamstring, ruling him out of the entire series.
Rahul has been appointed to vice-captain and is already being considered as a long-term potential leader. Since his debut in 2014, Rahul has played 40 Tests for India, scoring 2321 runs at 35.16 with six hundred and 12 fifties.
Rahul had been in fantastic form with the bat in England Tests earlier this year, scoring 315 runs in four matches, but he was forced to miss the home series against New Zealand owing to a muscle complaint.
It was difficult for the selectors to return to Rahane, who is no longer a sure thing in Test XI, and it may be too soon for Rishabh Pant to be elevated to vice-captain of the national side. Rahul is currently regarded as one of the few all-around specialists.
