Captaincy Dilemma: Pant and Jaiswal in Race for India’s Test Vice-Captain Role

The Indian Cricket Team is about to undergo some changes, especially in the Test format. Rohit Sharma’s tenure as captain is coming to an end and there is also a vacancy for the vice-captain position. Jasprit Bumrah is likely to take over as captain, and Rishabh Pant or Yashasvi Jaiswal are being considered for the vice captain’s role.

According to a PTI report, the two young left-handers are the frontrunners for the position with Rishabh Pant currently leading the race to be the next vice-captain.

BCCI's Focus on Stability in Leadership

Based on the report, the BCCI selectors are looking for a reliable vice-captain for the team. Shubman Gill, once thought of as a future all-format captain, is no longer in the running interestingly. Axar Patel is the vice-captain in the T20Is, a role he has held down since the dynamics shifted from Gill in that format as well as in the ODIs.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s name has been recommended for the test format. But the raw batter has no leadership experience, having joined the team recently. This makes Rishabh Pant a more likely candidate, considering he has captaincy experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has proven himself as a leader. There are no similar credentials for Jaiswal.

There are also concerns about Jasprit Bumrah, the new test captain. This is because of his injury history such that one cannot associate him with long-term leadership. Hence, for the future of the team, it is even important to select a stable vice-captain.