SA v IND 2021-22: KL Rahul frontrunner to be India's vice-captain for South Africa Test series- Report

Other vice-captaincy options include R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah.

With Rohit Sharma ruled out of the upcoming three Tests in South Africa, the Indian team management is in search of the new vice-captain of the Indian team as they prepare to depart for the rainbow nation for the tour.

Rohit Sharma was recently appointed as the new vice-captain of the Indian Test team by BCCI, replacing Ajinkya Rahane, but with his injury preventing him from playing in the Test series, the selectors have reportedly found a new face to take his place as Virat Kohli’s deputy.

Times of India has reported, that the selectors are keen to announce KL Rahul as the new vice-captain of the Indian Test team for the South Africa series before the team gets down to preparing for the first Test in Centurion.

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The new vice-captain wasn’t named while announcing Rohit’s injury because regular Test captain Virat Kohli also had to be consulted on the matter. According to sources, the selectors are not in favor of going back to Ajinkya Rahane. The other senior player in contention was Ravichandran Ashwin.

“There’s no point in looking back. At the moment, the odds are tilted towards Rahul. Rahane is not a certainty to start in the playing XI (because of his poor form). Even in the case of Ashwin, the team management has often not played him abroad. In that case, it’s tough to make either of them the vice-captain. The idea is to announce Kohli’s deputy in a day or two,” a source close to the selectors said on Tuesday.

Another player discussed for vice-captaincy was Jasprit Bumrah, but the team’s workload management plans cast doubt over his regular participation.

SA v IND 2021-22: Ajinkya Rahane should logically be India's vice-captain for SA Tests- Aakash Chopra

As per reports, the selectors and the new team management have the idea to build young leaders who can serve Indian cricket for a longer period. Incidentally, Rishabh Pant is also in the plans of the selectors to be groomed as a part of the leadership group for the future.

The Indian team will also stay in a resort instead of a hotel for the tour. And TOI also reported that the players no longer have to quarantine.

“It is important that the two teams stay at a place where there are no other guests. Even the India ‘A’ and South Africa ‘A’ teams were kept in a hotel where there were no other guests. A resort gives breathing space to the players and their families. They can indulge in outdoor activities and not be confined to closed premises,” a BCCI source said.

(Times of India inputs)