That the selectors are never in any doubt over Ajinkya Rahane’s batting and leadership qualities was underlined on Friday when they appointed him vice-captain of the Indian team that will play a two-Test series in the West Indies next month. Rohit Sharma’s ODI team will play a three-match series against the 1975 and 1979 World Cup winners followed by a five-match T20I series, for which the squad will be announced later.

Ajinkya Rahane, the captain when India beat Australia to win the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, was recalled to the side for the recent ICC World Test Championship final at The Oval. He vindicated the selectors’ decision by scoring 89 and 46 in the Test which India lost by 209 runs.