KL Rahul’s injury and health concerns may snatch his position as Team India’s vice-captain. He has been out of action since the IPL 2022, and there is still no confirmation regarding the right-hander’s on-field return.

Rahul underwent a sports hernia surgery in June, and then resumed his training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru soon after.

He was expected to return for the ongoing West Indies tour, but a COVID infection didn’t allow him to do so. Rahul is also not named in the squad for the three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe from August 18.

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With the T20 Asia Cup 2022 being three weeks away, the BCCI and national selectors are mulling over replacing Rahul with Hardik Pandya as India’s vice-captain for both the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup 2022 after he impressed one and all with his captaincy skills in the IPL 2022 and on the Ireland tour.

Pandya led Gujarat Titans (GT) to their maiden IPL title in their very first appearance without having any captaincy experience and then led Team India to a 2-0 win in a T20I series against Ireland in June.

Sources from BCCI told ANI: “The management is discussing over one name for vice-captaincy. It could be Hardik Pandya as he gave us good results in the past. He made Gujarat Titans the champions of IPL 2022 under his leadership.”

Sources added, “He showed great performances in the series against South Africa and England. We want to name an all-rounder for this post and in the current scenario, Hardik deserves this post.”

(With ANI Inputs)