“If Rohit and Kohli had to take a break, they should not have been part of the squad” - Mohammad Kaif on India resting duo in West Indies
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has opined that if skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli wanted to take a break, they should not have been part of the ODI squad in West Indies.
The Men in Blue beat the Windies 2-1 in the three-match ODI series. However, the Indian think tank was criticized for resting Kohli and Rohit for the last two matches of the series.
“If Rohit Sharma and Kohli had to take a break then they should not have been part of the squad,” Kaif was quoted as saying by PTI during the launch of Amrit Mathur's book 'Pitchside' on Wednesday, August 2.
The 42-year-old added that he wouldn’t judge the Indian team from their performance in West Indies, but would wait for the Asia Cup results.
"I won't judge the team for what it has done on the West Indies tour. I will judge them from Asia Cup and the 15 they pick for the tournament. From Asia Cup onwards, they have to be sure what their 11 is and what their backups are," he stated.
VIDEO | "At the moment, the Indian Team is not looking the strongest on paper as it is missing key players, including KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and the biggest factor is Jasprit Bumrah," says @MohammadKaif. pic.twitter.com/IFAacyXj0s
Without Kohli and Rohit, India lost the second ODI in West Indies by six wickets. But they came back strongly to clinch the decider with a thumping 200-run win.
“He will be in the squad as he has done well” - Kaif on Ishan Kishan
Sharing his thoughts on young wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, Kaif opined that he could be in the World Cup squad, having done well in West Indies.
The former cricketer was, however, unsure if Kishan, Suryakumar, Sanju Samson, and Shreyas Iyer can all fit into the final 15.
"He will be in the squad as he has done well. I am not sure if Kishan, SKY, Samson and Iyer, all of them won't be in the 15. It remains to be seen if Kishan will be the back-up wicket keeper to Rahul," Kaif commented.
Kishan scored half-centuries in all three ODIs in West Indies and was named Player of the Series.
From 1-1 to 2-1! 👏 🏆
The smiles say it all! ☺️ ☺️
#TeamIndia | #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/M3oQLNUOg0
Asked about India’s chances at the 2023 World Cup, Kaif opined that the hosts will reach the semi-final.
"World Cup for India will start with the semi-final. They will need to win two big games to lift the title," he concluded.
India will begin their 2023 World Cup campaign with a match against Australia in Chennai on October 8.