In a major leadership reshuffle ahead of India’s upcoming assignment against Afghanistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday removed Rishabh Pant as vice-captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Veteran batter KL Rahul has been named the new deputy to captain Shubman Gill.
Apart from losing his vice-captaincy in Test cricket, Pant has also been dropped from the ODI squad for the Afghanistan series. The decision raised eyebrows.
However, the chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the decision during the squad announcement press conference, emphasizing that the move aims to let Pant focus entirely on his batting in the longest format rather than indicating any decline in his Test status.
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Simplifying Pant’s Role To Regain Peak Form
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Speaking to reporters during the post-selection press conference, Ajit Agarkar made it clear that stripping Rishabh Pant of the vice-captaincy was not a punishment, but a deliberate move to help the explosive left-hander focus entirely on his primary role: winning matches with the bat.
“We want him to become the best Test player that he has always been,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said of Pant’s removal as Test vice-captain and exclusion from the ODI squad.
“I don’t think there is any concern with his spot in the Test team. I think he is one of our main batters in that line-up. [He] had a really good tour of England till he got injured. So, I am sure he would like a few more runs. But he has always been very good in Test cricket. At this point, yes, we have gone with two different [wicketkeeping] options in one-day cricket. But Test cricket, he remains one of our main players,” he added.
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Why KL Rahul As Vice-Captain?
KL Rahul has captained India in three Tests before and Ajit Agarkar felt that previous experience in the top job would benefit the side if Shubman Gill suffers an injury.
“That’s the best option we think at this point that we have as far as vice-captain with experience,” Agarkar said of Rahul.
“We saw during the South African series as well when Shubman got injured. And KL provides us with the necessary experience that you need in case the situation arises. Plus, he has obviously had a really good tour of England and against the West Indies,” he said.
Pant’s Recent Form And Broader Context
Rishabh Pant’s struggles in the ongoing IPL 2026 season with Lucknow Super Giants likely played a key role in the white-ball decisions, including his ODI exclusion in favor of options like Ishan Kishan.
However, Agarkar and the selectors have repeatedly stressed no such concerns in Tests, where Pant’s aggressive batting and wicketkeeping skills continue to make him indispensable. The Afghanistan Test squad includes Pant as the primary keeper-batter alongside Dhruv Jurel.
India’s Test Squad For Afghanistan Series
Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vc), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Manav Suthar, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey
