Following the BCCI's announcement of the squad for the West Indies series, it was confirmed that Rohit Sharma will continue to lead in both ODIs and Tests. The decision to name Ajinkya Rahane as the Test vice-captain has sparked debate among former pros, primarily because Rahane had been away from the national team for over a year before his recall.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced Team India’s squad for the Test and ODI series against the West Indies. Regular captain Rohit Sharma will lead the team in both formats. Indian veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane was named as the vice-captain for the Test squad and that decision has made some former cricketers to think about because Rahane came into the team after being out for 15 months.
Rahane's strong performance in the WTC final against Australia showed he still has value, and his return suggests that other seasoned players, like Cheteshwar Pujara, might also find their way back. While Sunil Gavaskar doesn't see an issue with Rahane's current role, he argues that the team is ignoring a golden opportunity to develop new leadership. Gavaskar insists that by designating a young player as a future captain, the board encourages them to start adopting a leadership mentality.
Gavaskar pointed to three players capable of stepping into Rohit's shoes. He mentioned Shubman Gill for his consistency across formats, and Axar Patel, praising the all-rounder's steep trajectory of improvement. In Gavaskar's view, giving players like these the vice-captaincy would push them to evolve as leaders.
The legendary batsman also mentioned Ishan Kishan as a potential candidate once he manages to secure a permanent spot in the squad. Meanwhile, India's Test roster sees the return of fast bowler Navdeep Saini, alongside first-time selections for Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.