"KL Rahul could probably have been"- Former Indian cricketer reacts Shubman Gill's appointment as vice-captain

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has opened up about young opening batter Shubman Gill’s appointment as vice-captain for both the T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka. Aakash Chopra expressed that Shubman Gill is likely to be groomed as a future captain for the Indian national cricket team.

Earlier, Hardik Pandya was considered a leading candidate to succeed Rohit Sharma as India's T20I captain after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. However, the Indian selectors and team management named middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav as the new T20I captain for the upcoming series in Sri Lanka.

The Indian selectors signaled that Hardik would not be considered for a leadership role by appointing Shubman Gill as the vice-captain. Team India will play three T20Is and three ODIs in Sri Lanka, starting on July 27. Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian team in T20Is and ODIs, respectively.

Shubman Gill Is The Heir Apparent - Aakash Chopra

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra stated that Shubman Gill has been promoted to ODI vice-captain ahead of the more experienced KL Rahul. Chopra stated that the team management wants to groom Gill as a leader under Rohit in the ODI series.

"If we talk about the ODI squad, Rohit is going. Shubman Gill is the vice-captain. Interestingly enough Shubman Gill has been made the vice-captain of both teams. KL Rahul could probably have been made the vice-captain, but he is not there, Shubman Gill is there. So it seems like Gill is the heir apparent," Chopra said.

Shubman Gill was named captain of the India team for the first time in the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Gill guided the team to a 4-1 victory despite losing the series opener. He scored 170 runs in five matches at an average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 125.93, with the help of two half-centuries.

Hardik Pandya's Name Is Not There In ODIs - Aakash Chopra

The former India opener highlighted that the team management expects Shivam Dube to play a more significant role in both ODIs and T20Is. Chopra also noted the absence of Sanju Samson and the return of Shreyas Iyer, who performed well in the World Cup.

"Sanju Samson's name is not there here. Shreyas Iyer - he had a very good World Cup, he is there in the team. Shivam Dube is in both teams, both ODIs and T20Is. It means you are seeing a bigger role for him because Hardik Pandya's name is not there in ODIs," Chopra added.

The cricketer-turned-commentator said that Hardik Pandya's absence from the ODI series could indicate his long-term plans for the format. Chopra pointed out that Hardik wants to manage his workload after being injured in the last ODI World Cup. Hardik reportedly opted out of the series for personal reasons. He remains crucial for India's Champions Trophy aspirations next year.

Also read: "Would've been nice to see Sanju Samson"- Gautam Gambhir's former teammate bats for RR skipper after Sri Lanka snub