"There is no clarity in this Indian team and we need to accept it"- Mohammad Kaif
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes the media as well as Indian supporters must start accepting the fact that there won't be much clarity when it comes to selection from the Virat Kohli-led Indian team.
Kohli has had the reputation of being impatient with players and making too many changes to his playing XI in the past. But instead of looking at it as a drawback, Kaif wants everyone to view it as just another way the current Indian team plays.
In an interview with Sports Tak, Mohammad Kaif explained how this Indian team has no fixed position for any player no matter how big the name is.
"There is no clarity in this Indian team and we need to accept it. Virat Kohli doesn't play this way. He sees who is the most in-form player and picks him in the XI. At the end of the day you need to judge how many trophies he has won as a captain and he hasn't been able to. This team and this management doesn't give importance to past performance. No one's place is fixed in this team and even the players know that."
Sourav Ganguly used to back his players a lot: Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif recalled the time Sourav Ganguly was the captain of the Indian team. One of Ganguly's dominant traits as a skipper was that he used to back his players a lot. This is a major reason for youngsters like Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh going on to become world-class players.
Kaif certainly feels that a lack of backing from the skipper generates self-doubt in the minds of players. This, in turn, affects their abilities and doesn't allow them to play to the best of their potential.
"During Ganguly's time as captain, there were limited 20-25 players at his disposal. There was no IPL and thus not a large pool of players to choose from. He used to back his players a lot. So yes, when you do not back a player for a long time, he doesn't play with full freedom in crunch moments," Mohammad Kaif concluded.