Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is baffled by the appointment of Ajinkya Rahane as the Indian team’s vice-captain in the Test format. Ganguly, who has also served as the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) president for a brief period of time, found it difficult to digest the fact that Rahane was handed over the vice-captain post after spending nearly 18 months out of the team.
It is worth mentioning that Rahane was recently re-called into India’s squad for World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023 based on his sensational performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The Mumbai cricketer even featured in the playing eleven of the side in the WTC summit clash and emerged as the highest run scorer for India in the event, scoring 89 and 46 runs in both innings.
Rahane’s resilient innings in the WTC 2023 Final was appreciated by many veteran cricketers and experts. As a result, he was chosen as Rohit Sharma’s deputy for the upcoming two-match Test series against West Indies starting in July. However, Ganguly expressed his displeasure with the decision and reckoned that it was difficult for him to understand the thought process behind it.
In his conversation with PTI, the 50-year-old began by addressing the query about whether Shubman Gill would have been a better choice for the role, stating: “Yeah, I think so.” He further claimed that Ravindra Jadeja would have been a much better pick for the vice-captain post due to him being part of the Test team consistently.
“I won’t say it’s a step backward. You have been out for 18 months, then you play a Test and you become a vice-captain. I don’t understand the thought process behind it. There is Ravindra Jadeja, who has been there for a long time and a certainty in Test matches, he is a candidate,” said Ganguly.
“… but to just come back and straightway become vice-captain after 18 months, I don’t understand. My only thing is that selection shouldn’t be hot and cold. There has to be continuity and consistency in selection,” added the former India captain.
