IND vs AUS: Border-Gavaskar Trophy – Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has delivered his verdict on KL Rahul losing the vice-captain tag. Shastri said he always believed India didn’t need a deputy to the captain, at least at home. Rahul had lost the tag when the squad was announced for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, Ravi Shastri believes that Indian batter Shubman Gill who has been in the red-hot form will challenge KL Rahul for the opening slot in the batting line-up for the third Test at the Holkar stadium in Indore starting Wednesday. Follow India vs Australia Live Updates with INSIDESPORT.IN.
- KL Rahul had lost the vice-captain tag when the squad was announced for the remainder of the BGT.
- Shastri said that he always had the belief that India didn’t need a vice-captain, at least at home.
- Shastri also opened up on Rahul’s current form and said that the opener has to start fulfilling his talent.
- Ravi Shastri backed Shubman Gill to open with Rohit Sharma.
IND vs AUS: ‘India should never appoint vice-captain’ Ravi Shastri BLUNT reply on KL Rahul Saga, Former Coach backs Shubman Gill in place of Rahul, Follow India vs Australia LIVE
The Indian team has retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a six-wicket win in Delhi. But there is one grey area that still exists is the form of KL Rahul. The Indian team management has removed Rahul as the vice-captain. This move from the Indian board – there are speculations that he may not feature in the Indore Test. The feeling is that young Shubman Gill may get picked over Rahul at Indore.
Ravi Shastri, Former India head coach was asked about KL Rahul being removed as the vice-captain. Shastri reckoned India should not have a vice-captain in Tests in the first place and backed Shubman Gill to replace Rahul for the opening slot.
“The team management will decide (the vice-captain). They know his (Rahul’s) form, they know his mental state. They know how they should be watching someone like Shubman Gill. I, for one, always had the belief (to) never appoint a vice-captain for India. I would rather go with by best XI, and if captain has to leave the field, you’d zero in on a player that can take over at the time, simply because you don’t need to create complications,” said Shastri.
IND vs AUS: ‘India should never appoint vice-captain’ Ravi Shastri BLUNT reply on KL Rahul Saga, Former Coach backs Shubman Gill in place of Rahul, Follow India vs Australia LIVE
“If vice-captain doesn’t perform, someone can take his place; at least the tag is not there. I’m being blunt and brutal, I never like vice-captain in home condition. Overseas, it’s different. Here, you want prime form, you want someone like Shubman Gill, who’s red hot. He will challenge. He has to bang that door down and get into the side. Now, he’s not the vice-captain, it has to be team management’s decision,” he added.
In three innings across two Tests, Rahul registered scores of 20, 17, and 1. Due to his poor form calls have been made for his exclusion from the side for the third Test in Indore. In the squad announced for the remaining two Tests for the series, Rahul has retained his place but there has been no confirmation on whether he would be the vice-captain of the team. The lack of clarity over the leadership role has fuelled speculations on whether the right-handed batter might be on borrowed time in the Indian playing XI.
IND vs AUS: ‘India should never appoint vice-captain’ Ravi Shastri BLUNT reply on KL Rahul Saga, Former Coach backs Shubman Gill in place of Rahul, Follow India vs Australia LIVE
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