'I don't know what criteria...', KL Rahul's CRYPTIC response on Cheteshwar Pujara as vice-captain ahead of Rishabh Pant

KL Rahul didn't want to distinguish between who could have been a better deputy between Chetestwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant

Source: Twitter

Team India have no option left to take an aggressive approach to the Bangladesh Test series as the World Test Championship final is at stake. The Men in Blue are currently damaged with numerous injuries as three key players - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah and captain Rohit Sharma are ruled out of the series. Moreover, India will need to win their next six Test matches including the two against Bangladesh and four against Australia at home to remain in top-two sport of the WTC points table. In absence of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul has been given the duty to lead India. Interestingly, Cheteshwar Pujara was appointed as the vice-captain ahead of Rishabh Pant for the Bangladesh series. The decision of Pant getting the snub for Pujara as vice-captain has raised a few eyebrows and the stand-in skipper Rahul also said that he does not know the 'criteria' behind that decision.

"Regarding vice-captain, at least I don't know what is the criteria. Whoever is picked, you give yourself a pat on the back. It really doesn't change too many things, everybody in the team knows their roles and responsibilities," said Rahul. (Watch: Shreyas Iyer bowls leg-spin to Virat Kohli in nets)

However, Rahul didn't want to distinguish between who could have been a better deputy.

"Rishabh and Pujara both have been brilliant for us in Test cricket and have done the job so many times. So we really don't think much. The team wins as eleven players and when we go down we go down as whole team. Everyone has responsibility."

The Two Captains - @klrahul & Shakib Al Hasan pose with the silverware ahead of the two-match Test series.#BANvIND pic.twitter.com/IlcH39MncZ

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 12, 2022

The previous national selection committee had named Cheteshwar Pujara as vice-captain for the Bangladesh series even as chairman Chetan Sharma had said that Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah along with Rahul are being groomed as future leaders. Pujara is just about holding onto to his spot in the Test squad and vice-captaincy will be an absolute boost. Pujara was also named vice-captain for one Test match during the 2020-21 historic tour of Australia. When Rahul was asked about the vice captaincy, he sidestepped the issue. (With PTI inputs)