Ideal candidates for vice-captain's role for Team India

It is only safe to quote that Team India is officially in a transition phase at the moment. Over the last decade, they were ably led by a calm head MS Dhoni. Now, the man himself decided to quit at the helm of the side after leading the team for a record 331 matches across the three formats. The decision must have stunned a few and stung a few too. However, it was only inevitable. The moment had to arrive when MS had to take the big call at some stage or the other.

What accelerated his call was perhaps the supreme form under the leadership of Virat Kohli. The way Virat led India to the top of ICC Test rankings and the team remained undefeated this year, is only a testimony of his achievement. The baton has duly been passed to Virat and the team will now see a new leader in all formats. This leader, unlike his predecessor, might not be as calm but is surely equally effective.

The task of captaincy is not an easy one and the skipper, at times, needs a bit of advice from his senior men in the side. Certainly, Virat will have Dhoni to guide him in the initial days for sure. But to abide by the rules and to assist the skipper, there is always a deputy. The selectors are yet to name the deputy for Virat Kohli. The vice-captain plays an equally important role as the captain. He is the stand in skipper in the absence of the leader and helps the captain take the shots. Here are the three ideal candidates for the lieutenant’s role in the limited-overs team:

1. Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane has made a name for himself in the Indian cricket scene. He is a supreme example of how sheer hard work can take you places. Rahane has been the vice-captain of the team before and has led a few teams in the domestic circuit as well. Living in the shadow of MS Dhoni in the IPL last year must have helped him brush up his leadership skills too.

If Virat provides the aggression to the team, Rahane yields the much-needed composure ideal to battle it out against tough oppositions. Moreover, just like Kohli, Rahane can lead by example too. His hunger for runs has been seen in the longest format of the game. It is only a matter of time that he translates it into the shorter formats as well.