3 Indian players who could be named as vice-captain in Test cricket

Team India has entered their busy schedule as they play 10 Test matches in a space of five months. Rohit Sharma and his men play Bangladesh and New Zealand at home. What follows will be the huge tour of Australia where they hope to hold onto the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 

Rohit Sharma has been leading the Test side for over two years now. With the Indian skipper getting on in age, his time as the Test skipper is nearing its end. There will be a need to get a new man ready to take charge of the team in the longest format. The World Test Championships finals and the succeeding England tour could be the last few assignments for Rohit Sharma. 

Few ready candidates could become the next captain of the Indian Test side. BCCI and the Indian selection committee have to identify the right candidate and name him the vice-captain. This will give the man at the helm of affairs to not only learn from Rohit Sharma but also get groomed for the job. 

Here are the three Indian players who could be named as the vice-captain in Test cricket

3- Shubman Gill 

25-year-old Shubman Gill has already led the Indian side on a few occasions. His captaincy during the Zimbabwe series was lauded by many experts. Shubman Gill is slowly becoming a key member of the Indian side. Shubman Gill is now a regular at the number three spot for India and his latest ton against Bangladesh shows the talent he has. The youngster also leads Gujarat Titans in the IPL and will want to be considered for the top job in the red-ball format. The national selectors will look at Shubman Gill as an option to be considered as a future vice-captain in Indian Cricket. 

2- Jasprit Bumrah 

India’s pace ace Jasprit Bumrah has already led the team once in Test cricket. That was during the 2022 re-scheduled game against England in Edgbaston. Jasprit Bumrah is noted for his cricketing brain and his strong acumen. Rohit Sharma has seen the pacer grow thanks to their time together at Mumbai Indians and India. With the amount of experience the pace bowler has, he could be seen as a viable choice to become the deputy next. Gautam Gambhir and the rest of the management could give Bumrah the chance to become the next Indian test cricket vice-captain. 

1- Rishabh Pant 

Ever since his debut in international cricket, Rishabh Pant has been seen as a natural successor to MS Dhoni. While no one can come close to replacing the tall figure of the former Indian legend, Pant is seen as the next captain in the making. The 26-year-old is already the Delhi Capitals skipper. Rishabh Pant has been known to be one of the best Indian wicketkeepers and batters. Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir will be having a closer look at Pant for a likely role as the vice-captain. The next few months could be crucial for Rishabh Pant if he wants to become the next Indian test captain. With so much Test cricket set to take place home and away, the youngster will want to absorb all the learnings from Rohit Sharma. A few more good series with the bat could see Rishabh Pant become a leading candidate for the role of vice-captain in Test cricket.