There is no stand-in captain for Team India as BCCI is optimistic on Rohit Sharma
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is optimistic about the recovery of India captain Rohit Sharma, who has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the 5th Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The team management and selectors are not yet thinking of announcing the stand-in captain. The BCCI is accepting the wait and watch approach.
Update – #TeamIndia Captain Mr Rohit Sharma has tested positive for COVID-19 following the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) conducted on Saturday. He is currently in isolation at the team hotel and is under the care of the BCCI medical team. — BCCI (@BCCI) June 25, 2022
According to Cricbuzz, the BCCI is discussing at various levels whether to replace Rohit as Shubman Gill is the only opener in the team. Mayank Agarwal is likely to fly to England in the next few days ahead of the fifth Test starting July 1. Cheteshwar Pujara could be another option for the opening slot. Pujara had a record-breaking county season ahead of the series. Giving Pujara the opening slot will give Rohit an option to replace Shreyas Iyer in the middle order.
Talking about the stand-in captaincy option, Virat Kohli may be given the task of captaining India again as he was the captain when India toured England last time and this game is also a part of that series. . R Ashwin is the senior-most player in the team, if not Virat, but it is unlikely that he will feature in the playing XI as India would be looking to play with four fast bowlers and Ravindra Jadeja.
Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah are the other two captaincy options. Pant only led Team India in T20Is against South Africa, but leading the team in Test cricket on England soil would be a new level of responsibility. On the other hand, Bumrah has no record of captaining any team in his career.
If Rohit tests negative for Kovid on the day of the Test match then he can play the game as England does not have mandatory quarantine protocols.