Ravindra Jadeja reveals Ajit Agarkar kept him in dark over Test leadership role

India National Cricket Team veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has opened up on being appointed as the vice-captain of the Test team for the ongoing series against the West Indies National Cricket Team.

Ravindra Jadeja revealed that he didn't receive any communication from the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee regarding the Test leadership role and was simply named as the vice-captain, which came as a pleasant surprise to him

Rishabh Pant ruled out of West Indies Tests; Ravindra Jadeja gets leadership

The BCCI selection committee named Shubman Gill as the new Test skipper and Rishabh Pant as his deputy ahead of the five-match Test series against the England National Cricket Team in June.

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This was a massive step taken by the selectors before the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship began. The duo did a wonderful job together in England, both batting and leadership-wise.

However, Rishabh Pant was part of an unfortunate incident that left him severely injured. During the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester, while playing a premeditated reverse sweep off Chris Woakes, he under-edged the ball onto his boot, which led to him suffering a fractured foot.

He is currently undergoing his rehabilitation programme and will not be able to gain fitness for the West Indies Test series. In his absence, the selectors named Ravindra Jadeja as Shubman Gill's deputy in the Test team.

Speaking ahead of the first Test against West Indies in Ahmedabad, Ravindra Jadeja said that getting a surprise leadership role motivates him to do special things for the team.

“They didn’t say anything to me. They just announced the team and I saw that besides my name the VC is written, so I was very happy. And as a player, you always gain confidence whenever you see some kind of gesture from the management, captain and coach. At the end of the day, you are always happy to do good and share your experience with the team,” Jadeja told bcci.tv in a video interaction.

It’s very special for me as a player - Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja further said that he feels respected after getting the vice-captaincy role and would look to thrive under this added responsibility in the matches against West Indies. He said:

"It’s very special for me as a player. They gave me respect because the management, captain, and coach have decided to give me some extra responsibility.

"I am very happy to do it and whenever the team needed my experience and needed me to say anything regarding planning, I am always happy to do it.”

I think he has become our number 6 batter - Shubman Gill

Recently, captain Shubman Gill lavished rich praise on Ravindra Jadeja for his exceptional performances with the bat in Test cricket, saying that he has become India's No.6 batter. Notably, Jadeja averages 69.37 with the bat in seven Test matches in 2025.

“I think in the past couple of years, the kind of form that he has shown, we always knew… playing Jaddu bhai in India is always a difficult aspect (to the opposite side). The kind of form he has shown with the bat is the reason I think he has become our number 6 batter in Test matches. I think over the past two years, he has been in tremendous form."

Also Read: Shubman Gill reveals Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Smith’s role in saving his Test career