Guwahati: India has announced the removal of Rishabh Pant as vice-captain of the Test squad, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) aims to provide the player with some relief following a difficult period in white-ball cricket. KL Rahul has been designated as the new deputy to Shubman Gill for the upcoming one-off Test match against Afghanistan.
Notably, senior players Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested for this series, with Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey named as their replacements. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Jadeja’s absence is for this Test series only, emphasizing that he remains India’s top spinner in the format.
Regarding One Day Internationals (ODIs), it was mentioned that Jadeja’s position might be at risk due to considerations of the South African conditions. However, both Jadeja and Axar Patel continue to be part of the management’s plans.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retained their places in the ODI squad, despite discussions surrounding Rohit’s future in the format. The team management expressed support for Rohit, while no concerns were raised regarding Kohli, who has shown consistent performance, notably in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the selections of Rohit and Hardik Pandya are contingent upon their fitness. Rohit is currently absent from the playing XI due to a back injury but has been seen practicing alone. The nature of his injury has not been disclosed by the Mumbai Indians, though it is not believed to be serious.
The ODI squad introduces several newcomers, including Prince Yadav, Harsh, and Gurnoor. Mohammed Siraj has not been included in the squad, and Agarkar indicated that Mohammed Shami’s fitness has not been discussed, suggesting he is currently only suitable for T20Is.
India squad vs Afghanistan:
Test squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Dhruv Jurel, Harsh Dubey.
ODI squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey.
(Note: Rohit and Pandya’s selections are subject to fitness evaluations.)
