New vice-captain Rahul hints of five-bowlers tactic, discusses 'difficult decision' over Rahane

India’s new vice-captain KL Rahul has given a strong hint on what would the playing XI for the first Test of the series against South Africa look like as he has backed their long-standing commitment to the idea of playing five bowlers. He spoke highly of the five-bowler tactics and counted the successes they have had in the past few years.

He also rated the tactic highly for the cushion of workload management it provides to the side and did all but confirm about playing an extra seamer in the Tests against the Proteas.

"Every team wants to pick up 20 wickets to win Test match. We have used that tactic and it has helped us in every Test match that we have played away," Rahul said.

"Workload also becomes slightly easier to manage with five bowlers and when you have that kind of quality (in Indian ranks), I think, we might as well use it.”

Rahul was promoted to vice-captaincy for the tour replacing Ajinkya Rahane, who has gone out of favour due to a prolonged slump with the bat. His position in the squad was threatened after the heroic arrival of Shreyas Iyer and the perpetual presence of Hanuma Vihari.

If the men in blue will stick to the five-bowlers combination as Rahul has suggested, the team management will have to make tough choices in terms of team selection and pick one among Iyer, who grabbed the opportunities against New Zealand with both hands and Vihari, who has been an undisclosed overseas specialist.

"It is a very difficult decision to make obviously. Speaking about Ajinkya, he has been an important member of the Test team, played very, very crucial knocks in his career," Rahul was waxed eloquent about his senior teammate.

 "In the last 15-18 months, he has played some crucial knocks, that partnership with Pujara at Lord's, was important for us in winning the Test match. Shreyas obviously has taken his chances and got a brilliant hundred (along with a fifty) in Kanpur and he is very exciting. Hanuma has done the same for us, so it's a tough decision," Rahul said

"We will start having a chat today or tomorrow and you will get to know in a couple of days time," he added.

India have never won a Test series in South Africa and the Virat Kohli-led side have achieved many unprecedented triumphs in the longest format in the last few years and the upcoming series will be yet another opportunity for the number one ranked side in the format.