The BCCI on Sunday (February 19) announced Team India’s squad for the remaining two Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.

Few changes were expected in the Test side, especially in the batting department due to the consistent failures of opener KL Rahul, but the BCCI has decided to retain the same squad which was named for the first and second Tests.

While Rahul is part of the 17-member squad, no vice-captain tag is added alongside his name for the last two Tests. Notably, he was Rohit Sharma’s deputy for the matches in Nagpur and Delhi.

Amid the recent development, a report published in The Indian Express claims that the BCCI has left it to skipper Rohit Sharma to decide the vice-captain for the last two Tests in Indore and Ahmedabad.

“It was decided not to name any vice-captain. Instead the power was given to Rohit Sharma. Who will lead the side in case he has to leave the field is Rohit Sharma’s call,” The Indian Express quoted a source as saying.

According to the report, the BCCI selection committee members flew from Kolkata, where they were watching the Ranji Trophy final, to Delhi to pick the team for the last two Tests. Since Chetan Sharma has stepped down from the chief selector post following the sting operation, the meeting was chaired by former India opener SS Das.

The decision to remove the vice-captain tag could be an indication that KL Rahul will be dropped from the playing XI. He has registered scores of 20, 17 and 1 in three innings against Australia so far after amassing 57 runs in the two-match Test tour of Bangladesh last December.

However, India head coach Rahul Dravid has backed KL Rahul to regain his form.

“I think he needs to trust his processes. This is just a phase, he has been one of our most successful overseas openers. He’s got hundreds in South Africa and England, we’ll continue to back him,” Dravid said to the official broadcaster after India's Delhi Test win.

(The Indian Express Inputs)