BGT 2023 | Should never appoint vice captain in home conditions, opines Ravi Shastri

India recently sacked KL Rahul as the vice captain of the Test side and there has been a lot of talks regarding who will fill the vacant slot. In the three innings across the two Tests of the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy, the batter has registered scores of 20, 17, and 1 averaging 12.67. With him not being named as the deputy of Rohit Sharma, many former cricketers have shared their views regarding the issue. 

Former Indian head coach, Ravi Shastri has also shared his perspective on the issue saying that he would prefer India not to appoint a vice-captain while playing in home conditions and instead hand over the responsibility to a player who can take over. 

“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.  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.

Shubhman Gill has been emerging through ranks in the recent times with his brilliant form with the bat. He played a knock of 208 runs against New Zealand in Hyderabad ODI earlier in the year. The batter has also scored a T20I century and his maiden Test hundred during the purple patch he experienced with the bat. Considering his form, Shastri backed the youngster as capable of being the vice-captain of India’s Test side. 

“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 reckoned.