KL Rahul named India's vice-captain for South Africa Test series
What's the story
Senior opener KL Rahul has been named Team India's vice-captain for the upcoming Test series in South Africa. A report in ANI confirmed that Rahul will be Virat Kohli's deputy as Rohit Sharma is missing the three-match series. Rohit had replaced Ajinkya Rahane as India's vice-captain in the longest format. The first Test begins on December 26 in Centurion.
Context
Why does it matter?
In the last few months, Rahul has become India's mainstay opener in Tests. His exploits on the recent tour of the UK grabbed eyeballs. Rahul has replaced Rohit as India's Test vice-captain on an interim basis. The latter was earlier ruled out of the impending Test series in South Africa due to a hamstring injury. Rahul has been preferred over Rahane for the role.
Information
Priyank Panchal had replaced Rohit for SA series
Earlier this week, the BCCI informed that Rohit would miss the South Africa series as he is recovering from a hamstring injury. The senior Indian opener sustained a left hamstring injury during a training session in Mumbai. Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal has replaced Rohit.
Exploits
Rahul was on song in the England Test series
Rahul returned to the Test side in England, after a gap of nearly two years. He scored 84 in the first innings of the Nottingham Test against England. Rahul followed that up with a century at Lord's (129). He finished as India's second-highest run-scorer of the series (315). Rahul recently missed the NZ Test series at home after suffering a thigh injury.
Feats
Feats attained by Rahul in England
On the England tour, Rahul slammed his sixth Test century (at Lord's). He became the 10th Indian to smash a hundred here. It was his fifth Test century away from home and fourth outside Asia. He became the fifth Indian opener with more than one Test hundred in England. Rahul smashed his first ton in the nation in 2018 (149 at The Oval).
Squad
India's squad for SA Test series
India's squad for SA Test series: Virat Kohli (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Priyank Panchal. Standby players: Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Arzan Nagwaswalla.