The announcement of Cheteshwar Pujara's appointment as Team India's vice-captain didn't go down well with the fans who lashed out at the BCCI for playing with the future of Indian cricket by taking such illogical decisions. After Virat Kohli stepped down as skipper at the start of this year, Rohit Sharma was appointed India captain across all three formats while KL Rahul was named his deputy. Whenever either of them got injured, KL Rahul took over the mantle of captaincy. And if the two were not available for selection, Jasprit Bumrah stepped in as the skipper and Rishabh Pant filled the shoes of the vice-captain.
However, after India lost the recent ODI series to Bangladesh under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, their second consecutive defeat to the minnows there, the Indian team management took the strange decision of naming Cheteshwar Pujara as KL Rahul's deputy. KL Rahul was elevated to the position of captain for the first Test in Chattogram after Rohit Sharma dislocated his thumb during the second ODI in Dhaka.
Cheteshwar Pujara's appointment as vice-captain has flabbergasted pundits and fans alike because it was not that long ago when he was dropped from the team before making his return due to some solid performances in the English county season.
Moreover, at nearly 35 years of age, he's no longer in the scheme of things to be named as India's long-term skipper. His batting form hasn't been too good either and that's why he's not guaranteed a place in the side, even in the longest format of the sport.
That's why Team India supporters have dubbed BCCI's move a step in the wrong direction and have advocated for Rishabh Pant's reappointment as KL Rahul's deputy.
Rishabh Pant may have struggled for runs in limited-overs cricket but he has been India's best match-winner in Tests, having powered the team to sensational series wins in Australia and at home.
Keeping all this in mind, Team India supporters dubbed the decision a “joke” and “ridiculous”.
@BCCI Ridiculous decision to make pujara vc when pant is there in the squad
— Sharan N (@Rahul357N) December 12, 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, I don’t have any hope him leading. LSG he lost the semi by statpadding). Pujara VC is a joke! 😂
— bhuvy.eth (@BhuvyEth) December 11, 2022
Everyone in BCCI, selectors are jokers. Not a forward thinking move. anyone younger player should have been groomed. Nothing personal against Pujara
— Goverdhan Shanbhag (@kgs61o1955) December 12, 2022
https://twitter.com/n8mare4snjufans/status/1601997568753692675
The move to appoint Cheteshwar Pujara as deputy to KL Rahul was even slammed by former India batter Mohammad Kaif.
“It's a bit shocking for me because the last time we played Rishabh Pant was the vice-captain,” Mohammad Kaif said in an interaction with Sony Sports.
“Pujara was there in that team (in England) so either you have made a mistake here or back there in England. Someone has made a mistake. Why is there a rush? Why such a hurry to make Pant the captain? He's a newcomer finding his feet at the international level. He has won some fantastic matches I understand but he is still young. You don't make someone captain or vice-captain this early. Why this rush? I don't understand. Why can't someone just keep performing and keep winning matches? The priority should be to win matches for your team and not to be captain. We focus on players so much,” Mohammad Kaif added.
Although Mohammad Kaif slammed Cheteshwar Pujara's elevation to the vice-captaincy, he heaped rich praise on him for his comeback to the Indian cricket team only months after being dropped from the side.
“The way he scored runs after getting dropped, he has set an example for young players on how to make a comeback. He went to play County cricket, he scored centuries in four-day matches and 50-over games, which prompted the selectors to recall him. He made the selectors surrender in front of him,” he noted.
“Age has nothing to do with cricket. It is a skill-based game. It's not football, where you have to run up and down continuously during the match. In fact, age is a plus point. You learn with experience and improve. Pujara, Kohli, and Rohit and prime examples. Test cricket is a skill-based format, you have to play for days and you need experience for that. You need players who can bat on turning, as well as seaming tracks, and you only get better with time. Pujara is a prime example,” Mohammad Kaif summed up.
However, stand-in skipper KL Rahul defended the decision.
“I at least don't know what the criteria is, whoever is picked you give yourself a pat on your back. Even for me, when I was named the vice captain, you get happy, you have the responsibility of the team. It really doesn't change much, everybody knows their role and responsibility and how much the team appreciates their contribution. Rishabh and Puji both have been brilliant for us, and have done the job so many times. Itna jada sochte nahin hai jo hai (We don't really think that much), he tries to take the responsibility. We carry on as a team,” KL Rahul said in the pre-match media briefing on Monday.
The first Test between Bangladesh and India starts in Chattogram on Wednesday.
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