Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra questioned Rishabh Pant’s removal as India’s vice-captain in Test cricket. For the one-off Test match against Afghanistan, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel appointed KL Rahul as Shubman Gill’s deputy.

Chopra highlighted that Pant has a very good record in Test cricket and it is surprising to note that he has been sacked from the leadership role. The former Delhi cricketer reckons Pant will once again need to score runs in all formats and the IPL, to once again prove his mettle at the top level.

Pant recently led LSG in IPL 2026 but the franchise ended the tournament as the wooden-spooners, with only four wins in 14 games. The left-hander could only manage 312 runs in 13 innings at an average of 28.36 and a strike rate of 138.05.

“He would have to think about what has happened with him because being removed as Test vice-captain is not a great thing. He hasn’t done anything wrong. He is actually a very good Test cricketer. I have no idea why he was removed from vice-captaincy there, but he has been removed,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

“He hasn’t gotten chances at all in ODIs for the last two years, and suddenly, he has moved out because Ishan Kishan has come. A very middling IPL. You need to have a better IPL than this, and you will have to score runs in Tests as well to reclaim that lost glory. He can get the captaincy as well, although the captaincy CV is not looking good after what has happened at LSG,” he added.

On the other hand, Chopra questioned that it has been a while since Rohit Sharma has had a 500-run season in the IPL. 

“I was wondering when the last time he had a 500-plus season was. It’s been a decade since he had a 500-plus season. He has won many trophies in between, but a 500-run season hasn’t come, and he plays as an opener,” he replied.

The MI veteran batter scored 283 runs in nine matches in IPL 2026.