Aakash Chopra believes it would be logical to reappoint Ajinkya Rahane as India’s Test vice-captain for the South Africa tour. Ajinkya Rahane’s horrendous run with the bat had forced the Indian selectors to elevate Rohit Sharma as Virat Kohli’s deputy for the Test series against South Africa.
However, with Rohit Sharma getting ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury, the vice-captain’s position is again up for grabs.
Aakash Chopra: Ajinkya Rahane May Be Logically Made Vice-Captain
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined that Ajinkya Rahane should now be the rightful candidate for the role. Rohit Sharma will be missed as he has amassed 906 runs at an impressive average of 47.68 in Tests this year. The opener, who averages 46.88 in 43 Tests career so far, played 11 Tests in 2021 and averaged 47.68 which included 2 tons and 4 fifties.
“Now, you will not even know whom to make the vice-captain; is it going to be Ajinkya Rahane, or they will have to find someone else? You will have to logically make him the vice-captain because you had made him the captain just now in Kanpur,” said Aakash Chopra.
However, the former India player turned commentator added that Ajinkya Rahane’s appointment could be an issue, as his place in the team itself is at stake.
Aakash Chopra elaborated: “If he was the captain in Kanpur and when the tour starts in South Africa and Rohit Sharma is not there, him (Rahane) being the vice-captain is absolutely certain. But do you see his place being certain in the team, you cannot make him the vice-captain today and drop him in the next match.”
Ajinkya Rahane, who has averaged less than 20 in Tests this year, has looked tentative at the crease. Various experts believe Shreyas Iyer or Hanuma Vihari should be preferred over the middle-order veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane for the No.5 position in the batting order.
The former vice-captain has scored 411 in 12 Tests at a paltry average of 19.57 this year. Ajinkya Rahane has had a horror run with the bat over the last year, which has seen his average dip to under 40(39.3). In fact, he averages a mere 19.57 in 12 Tests in 2021, his lowest average in a year since debuting in 2013.
Cheteshwar Pujara has scored 686 runs in 13 Tests over the past 12 months. His average during this period, 29.83, is well below his career average of 44.82. His last Test century came three years ago in January 2019 against Australia. Test skipper Virat Kohli’s last Test ton came against Bangladesh in a day-night Test in Kolkata in November 2019.
Aakash Chopra: Jasprit Bumrah Or Ravichandran Ashwin Are Other Options For Vice-Captain
Aakash Chopra reckons the Indian selectors could opt to go with pacer Jasprit Bumrah as vice-captain.
“I feel India will not announce a vice-captain at all; Virat Kohli is the captain; Rahul Dravid is the coach, you can manage between the two of you. Unless of course, you announce Jasprit Bumrah as the vice-captain. That is a possibility because he is a regular candidate.”
The reputed commentator also named off-spinner all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin as another possible candidate for the role.
“You can also make Ravichandran Ashwin because now there is no other spinner as well. If Ravindra Jadeja was there, we say that you don’t play Ashwin overseas, but now there is Jayant Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin, and you know who amongst those two will play.”
The selectors have refrained from naming a vice-captain for the Tests series for now. It’ll be interesting to see who they select if they opt to pick one ahead of the series.