IND vs ZIM 2022: "If someone has been announced as captain, he should remain as captain"- Mohammad Kaif on Shikhar Dhawan's demotion
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif feels the decision to hand over the captaincy from Shikhar Dhawan to KL Rahul at the eleventh hour was certainly not a wise one.
Dhawan was set to lead Team India in the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe beginning on August 18.
However, the BCCI announced last week that KL Rahul was fit for selection and was added to the ODI squad, not just as a player but also as the skipper. This meant that Shikhar Dhawan was demoted to vice-captaincy, something which Kaif felt was disrespectful to the senior pro.
Speaking in a media interaction as quoted by FirstPost, Kaif spoke about the entire scenario involving Shikhar Dhawan and Rahul:
"The captaincy episode could have been avoided. Maybe KL Rahul's medical report came in late, and it could be a case of miscommunication as well. If India would have played this series under Dhawan, as initially announced, I don't think it would have bothered KL Rahul.
"But I totally agree, if someone has been announced as captain, he should remain as captain. Dhawan is an easy-going personality, but it isn't right on a player."
Shikhar Dhawan said "I hope KL Rahul gains a lot from this Zimbabwe series because important tournament like Asia Cup coming up, he is a main player of the team and good to see him leading the team".
Shikhar Dhawan capable of playing all three formats: Mohammad Kaif
Kaif also opined that Dhawan still has a lot left in him to give to the Men in Blue, and not just in the ODI format. The former batter was impressed with the way the southpaw has piled on the runs whenever he gets an opportunity, given how less frequent ODI cricket has been over the past couple of years.
Kaif stated:
"There is a lot of cricket left in Shikhar Dhawan as he plays just one format for India. He scores heaps of runs in IPL as well and his call-up in just ODIs sometimes surprises me a bit.
"He is a better player and can play both T20Is and Tests as well. Whenever Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have played well together, India have been successful."
" K L Rahul has played at No. 5 for India in ODIs. But if he wants match practice, he can open. But in form Dhawan and Gill can open and Rahul can come down at No. 3. He needs match practice. So it all depends on him and he is the captain. "
- Md Kaif
@klrahul • #KLRahul https://t.co/kfBD4UEFDX
Is Dhawan's spot in India's ODI team cemented till the 2023 World Cup? Or will youngsters like Shubman Gill pose a threat to the veteran's position? Let us know in the comments.