Ind vs Aus: Shastri reckoned India should not have a vice-captain in Tests in the first place.
Indore: The Indian team has retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a six-wicket win in Delhi, yet one grey area that still exists is the form of KL Rahul. He has been removed as the vice-captain and after 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. Former India coach Ravi Shastri 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.
“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.” Shastri said on the ICC Review podcast.
“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,” Shastri further said.
