A day before the second and final Test match between India and Bangladesh at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, Gautam Gambhir's deputy Abhishek Nayyar finally answered the mystery surrounding the absence of a designated vice-captain for the series during a pre-match press conference.
Nayyar pointed out that there was no need for the team to name a second in command while pointing out the presence of various young players leading their teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Indian cricket team's assistant coach explained that young players have leadership qualities, and playing alongside the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli helps them learn faster.
"I think we need to understand that we have got a lot of IPL captains in this team. When you talk about the likes of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, hopefully a Yashasvi going forward. There are a lot of players who have led their franchises," said Nayyar.
"I wouldn't look at them as youngsters any more. Yes, they are youngsters in terms of age and the amount of cricket they have played. But, I think overall, mentally and in their development as a cricketer, I think they have the leadership qualities that are required. You don't need to have a vice-captain that should be designated.
"I think overall, the thought process of these youngsters if of a senior player. It's of someone who has played a lot of cricket. With the likes of Virat, Rohit in the dressing room, it speedens that process where you are learning a lot faster on the go. I feel our future and all the youngsters are in great hands," Nayyar added.
Who Is Indian Cricket Team's Vice-Captain?
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee surprised the cricket fraternity by not naming a vice-captain alongside the squad for the Bangladesh series. Recently, they had named Shubman Gill as Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma's deputy in the T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka, but no such promotion followed in the longest format of the game.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah was designated vice-captain during India's five-match Test series against England earlier this year, but surprisingly, the star pacer was not given the responsibility this time around. Bumrah also led India in a one-off Test against England in July 2022 at Edgbaston.