Chandigarh, May 19:Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been relieved of his duties as Test vice-captain and excluded from India’s upcoming One-Day International roster for the June series against Afghanistan.
The strategic changes, confirmed by national selectors on Tuesday, elevate KL Rahul to the vice-captaincy of the Test squad under the ongoing leadership of captain Shubman Gill. The restructured squads reflect a clear push for fresh talent, introducing multiple uncapped players across both the red-ball and white-ball formats while resting established veteran Ravindra Jadeja from the Test match.
The international window begins with a single Test match at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. Following that initial match, the bilateral tour shifts focus toward early preparations for the next 50-over cycle, featuring a three-match ODI series scheduled at venues in Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Chennai.
Domestic performances heavily influenced the updated rosters. All-rounder Prince Yadav earned a spot in the ODI line-up, while Gujarat Titans teammates Manav Suthar and Gurnoor Brar received their first call-ups to the senior national Test team following strong showings in competitive cricket.
With Pant out of the white-ball plans for this series, Ishan Kishan returns to the squad as an alternative wicketkeeping option alongside Rahul to balance the middle order. Selectors noted that the upcoming fixtures provide a crucial window to evaluate bench strength and refine positional depth across the core units.
