Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is likely to be appointed as India's vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 and the T20 World Cup.
BCCI sources indicated that Pandya could take over the position from KL Rahul, who missed the ongoing five-match T20I series against West Indies after testing positive for COVID-19.
"The management is discussing over one name for vice-captaincy. It could be Hardik Pandya as he gave us good results in the past. He made Gujarat Titans the champions of IPL 2022 under his leadership. He showed great performances in the series against South Africa and England. We want to name an all-rounder for this post and in the current scenario, Hardik deserves this post," sources told ANI.
After star batter Virat Kohli stepped down from T20I captaincy following the T20 World Cup in November last year and was replaced by Rohit Sharma as captain of the Indian team in the white ball formats, Rahul was named as the vice-captain.
Rahul had undergone surgery for a groin injury sustained just before the home T20I series against South Africa in June. After his surgery, he resumed his training at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. In December 2021, he was also named as vice-captain of India's Test team after Rohit had been ruled out of the series due to injury.
Rahul played his last white-ball game for India in February 2022, an ODI against West Indies at home.
Meanwhile, Pandya is enjoying a dream run in 2022. As the captain he defied all odds to lead Gujarat Titans to the IPL 2022 title in their debut season, scoring 487 runs in 15 games at an average of 44.27 and picking up eight wickets.
Pandya had his first experience as the India vice-captain during the home series against South Africa in June, which ended in a 2-2 draw after the final T20I was washed out.
He was then named as the captain of the Indian team for the two-match T20I series in Ireland, which the visitors won 2-0.
Pandya impressed with both bat and ball during the India's limited overs tour of England, scoring 163 runs in four innings at an average of 40.75, with half-centuries, with the best score of 71, while taking 11 wickets.
He is currently the vice-captain of the Indian team in the ongoing five-match T20I series against the West Indies.
