India’s Test squad for the two-match series in Bangladesh was amended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday after skipper Rohit Sharma was unable to play in the first game owing to a thumb injury he sustained during the ODI series. For the first Test, the BCCI appointed Abhimanyu Easwaran as his replacement. Fans, however, were perplexed by the change in the leadership hierarchy. In place of Rohit, KL Rahul has been chosen as the skipper, and Cheteshwar Pujara has been selected as the vice-captain. The supporters criticized BCCI for this decision and demanded that they reverse it.
When Rohit was chosen as the captain across all forms earlier this year, the BCCI’s selection committee made it clear that they were also considering a few other players, including Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Jasprit Bumrah, as potential future leaders who would be prepared for the position. Bumrah was therefore chosen to replace Pujara as Rohit’s backup when India hosted Sri Lanka in March. Pant was selected to serve as India’s vice-captain for the England tour after Bumrah was requested to take Rohit’s place as the injured player. For that one-time game, Pujara has been reinstated to the Indian Test XI. Fans were therefore shocked when Pujara was chosen as vice-captain for the Bangladesh tour instead of Pant, who they had expected to be nominated.
Here is India’s updated squad for Bangladesh Tests: KL Rahul (C), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat.
This is how Twitter responded:
Now when I think of it, it really baffles me why he was taken off as the VC. Pujara was there in Eng but Pant was VC, now Pujara. I thought they preferred experience but it looks like that’s not the case.
— Pranav Nair (@leg_gully) December 11, 2022
The problem is not with KL being the captain. (I prefer pant to be the captain since KL doesn’t have it to be the aggressive captain, he chokes under pressure as a batsman, and I don’t have any hope of him leading. LSG he lost the semi by stat-padding). Pujara VC is a joke! 😂
— bhuvy.eth (@BhuvyEth) December 11, 2022
@BCCI Ridiculous decision to make pujari VC when pant is there in the squad
— Sharan N (@Rahul357N) December 12, 2022
Sri Lanka tour of India 2022 March (Pujara Dropped)
Rohit Sharma Captain
Jasprit Bumrah VC
India tour of ENG 2022 July
Jasprit Bumrah Captain
Rishabh Pant VC
India tour of Bangladesh 2022
KL Rahul Captain
Cheteshwar Pujara VC
Thank you Rahul Dravid Sir for such stability🙂
— Rudraksha Singhal (@Rudrsinghal) December 11, 2022
Whatever..unnecessary. agar Pant was identified to be one who isn’t like a leader then they should have given it to Iyer.
Pujara was supposed to be transitioned out of the team and is now VC.
Chetan and bold calls don’t go hand in hand as Kushan da said.
— Abhinandan Nahata (@khelgyani_abhi) December 11, 2022
But all these days BCCI made Pant VC when Rohit was not available. Suddenly he has been removed from leadership now and they made Pujara VC. What they are trying to communicate to the viewers &fans? What they are actually thinking. Making fun of players, us, fans & everyone.
— Vicky (@CAVickyzz) December 11, 2022
“Fast bowler Mohammed Shami and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja are yet to fully recover from their respective shoulder and knee injuries and are ruled out of the Test series. The selectors have named Navdeep Saini and Saurabh Kumar as replacements for Shami and Jadeja respectively. The selection committee has also added fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat to India’s squad for the Test series,” BCCI’s statement further read.
