KL Rahul set to be named Team India's vice-captain in white-ball cricket - Reports
Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has been touted as the next vice-captain of the Indian ODI and T20I side
According to a report from InsideSport, the 29-year-old is deemed as the obvious choice for the position after having already assumed the role in the home series against New Zealand.
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Virat Kohli's days as captain of Team India in the limited-overs format came to an end on Wednesday. Team management opted to assign the role to Rohit Sharma, who was previously the vice-captain in ODI cricket.
However, Rohit Sharma is unlikely to continue beyond the 2024 T20 World Cup as he would be 37 by that point of time. KL Rahul, who possesses notable leadership experience through the IPL, is reportedly set to be named as his deputy.
"KL (Rahul) will be the next vice-captain. It was an obvious choice in white-ball formats. He has done excellently over the last few years. He has 6-7 years left in him and can be groomed to become the next captain. With Rohit and Virat around besides Dravid, he will learn a lot," a senior BCCI official told InsideSport."
The All-India Senior Selection Committee also decided to name Mr Rohit Sharma as the Captain of the ODI & T20I teams going forward.
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KL Rahul has come back into the reckoning as an all-format batter since India's recent tour of England. He did play across all formats before, but was axed from the Test team due to poor form and was out for a significant period of time.
The Karnataka batter's role in the limited-overs format has also evolved over the years and he has cemented his place in the team as an integral player irrespective of his role.
Few members of the selection committee were vouching for Rishabh Pant ahead of KL Rahul
A few select members of the national selection committee reportedly presented Rishabh Pant's case for the role of deputy in white-ball cricket. The 24-year-old was the captain of the Delhi Capitals in the 2021 IPL and led the franchise to the top spot in the league.
Pant's young age and impressive captaincy stint in the IPL, along with the importance of a wicket-keeper in DRS calls, strengthened his case. In the end, the management is said to have gone with the decision to appoint KL Rahul, given his recent purple patch.
"Rishabh is very young and at this stage, giving him extra responsibility could become a burden for him. With the seniors around, he will learn a lot. Personally, I don’t think it would have been the right call to hand over the responsibility as the vice-captain will have to lead at some point when seniors like Rohit are rested,” the BCCI official told InsideSport.
If the reports are confirmed, KL Rahul's first assignment as Rohit Sharma's deputy will come in the form of the upcoming ODI series against South Africa.