Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri is opposed to naming a vice-captain for home matches.
In the second Test in Delhi, Team India easily defeated the visiting Australian side to retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy for the fourth time in a row. However, since the conclusion of the second Test, Indian opener KL Rahul’s batting slump has been the focus of attention. Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri is opposed to naming a vice-captain for home matches.
KL Rahul’s shaky batting performance in the ongoing Test series against Australia has cast doubt on his place in the team, with the red-hot Shubman Gill waiting in the wings. The team management removed Rahul from his role as vice-captain for the third and fourth Tests, prompting India to appoint a new deputy to skipper Rohit Sharma.
However, former head coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that the Indian team should not name a vice-captain in home conditions. He claims that appointing a deputy to the skipper can lead to unnecessary complications, and that the team should instead look for a player to lead the side when the captain is forced to leave the field of play.
“The team’s management will make the decision” (the vice-captain). They are aware of his (Rahul’s) physical appearance as well as his mental state. They understand how they should be looking at someone like Shubman Gill. I, for one, have always believed that India should never appoint a vice-captain. “I’d rather play my best XI, and if the captain has to leave the field, you’d look for a player who can take over at the time, simply because you don’t want to create complications,” Shastri said.
