Not Kohli, this player will lead Team India in one-off Test against Afghanistan

Present Rajasthan Royal’s captain and India’s test team vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has been appointed to lead the Indian team in the one-off test match against Afghanistan which is to be played on June 14, 2018. Though the decision would be made final as the national selection committee will meet tomorrow (May 8) in Bangalore.

The reason being current Indian test skipper, Virat Kohli, will not participate against Afghanistan as he has already committed Surrey, an English domestic team, to play for them in the one month long County Championship Division One tournament.  Many may judge the choice made by the Indian skipper but he believes that he needs to be on the top of his game when India plays in the ICC World Cup 2019 in England and to be on the top of his game, he needs to practice and what better way to practice for the world cup than to play there for a month against domestic English sides.

Cheteshwar Pujara will also be back in the playing XI since he has been spending a lot of time in county cricket to make it in the playing XI for the tour of England. Alongside Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Hardik Pandya will also be included in the playing XI. This will also be a great opportunity for youngsters who are performing well in the Indian Premier League. The committee will finalize not only the squad for the Afghanistan test but also announce India’s T20 squad for the tour of England along with the tour of Ireland. The squad for the three-match ODI series against England alongside the three-match T20I series squad against England which is to begin on July 3, 2018.

Ajinkya Rahane may not have been unstoppable in this edition of the Indian Premier League but this opportunity will see him establishing his position on the starting XI for the Indian national team.