# Aakash Chopra questions KL Rahul’s vice-captaincy role 2026-08-21T15:52:41+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Former India opener Aakash Chopra has questioned KL Rahul's appointment as India's vice-captain under Shubman Gill, arguing that Rahul, at eight years older than Gill, is not the next in line for the captaincy. The selectors brought Rahul back into the leadership group before the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June, replacing Rishabh Pant, who had been dropped from the role less than a year after joining it. Pant had captained the side in the Guwahati Test against South Africa in Gill's absence. Chopra said on YouTube that a vice-captain should be of the same age or younger than the captain to be a genuine successor. While he acknowledged Rahul's cricketing brain and captaincy skills, he noted Rahul is not getting younger. Rahul had previously lost the vice-captaincy in Tests and ODIs in 2023 due to poor form and was dropped from the T20I team after the 2022 World Cup. He later regained his spot in the Test and ODI teams and is the current vice-captain, though he is unlikely to return to T20Is. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The vice-captaincy in Indian cricket is often seen as a grooming role for future captains, but the age gap between Gill (26) and Rahul (34) makes this a practical rather than ceremonial choice. Rahul's experience, including leading Punjab Kings in the IPL, provides tactical support for a young captain. However, with the next major ICC event (2025 Champions Trophy) less than a year away, the selectors may value stability over succession planning. The BCCI has not publicly stated whether Rahul is being considered as Gill's long-term deputy or as a short-term bridge. The decision on the vice-captain for the 2025 England tour will indicate the selectors' actual intent. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com Reports Chopra's criticism factually without editorialising, attributes quotes directly. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Aakash Chopra, BCCI, Indian cricket team, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/aakash-chopra-questions-kl-rahuls-vice-captaincy-role/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/aakash-chopra-questions-kl-rahuls-vice-captaincy-role/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/