In a significant development, star Indian batter Rishabh Pant is reportedly poised to be relieved of his vice-captaincy role within the Indian Test team, as stated in recent reports. The leadership responsibilities are believed to be impacting Pant’s batting performance adversely.
The national selection committee is scheduled to convene in Guwahati on Tuesday to finalize the Test and ODI squads for the upcoming series against Afghanistan. Notably, Pant’s performance as captain of the Lucknow Super Giants has raised concerns, potentially influencing the decision regarding his vice-captaincy.
Moreover, Pant’s leadership was questioned when he captained the team in the absence of Shubman Gill during a Test match against South Africa in Guwahati last November. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) aims to retain a match-winner in Pant, seeking to alleviate pressures by withdrawing him from the vice-captaincy.
In another update, there are indications concerning the availability of renowned fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the Afghanistan series. Reports suggest that Bumrah will participate in the one-off Test if the medical team approves his workload; however, he is unlikely to be available for the subsequent ODIs. Should any concerns regarding his workload arise, he may not play in the Test either. Additionally, Prince Yadav, who has excelled with the Lucknow Super Giants in the 2026 Indian Premier League, is emerging as a strong candidate for the ODI series.
