Mohammad Kaif advocates Virat Kohli's instant return or else India might...
Published - 31 Jan 2024, 01:24 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:26 AM
Mohammad Kaif said that the current Indian Test team resembles more of an ODI side with the presence of aggressive batters in the lineup. Mohammad Kaif expressed hope for the home team to regain form before Virat Kohli rejoins the team for the third Test match.
The Indian team started the five-match Test series against England with a 28-run loss at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The Men in Blue were bowled out for 202 runs in the final innings on the fourth day while chasing a moderate target of 231 runs.
Shubman Gill registered scores of 23 runs and 0 runs across the two innings of the series opener. Skipper Rohit Sharma got good starts in both innings but failed to convert them into big scores. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 80 runs in the first innings of the recent match.
Indian ODI Team Is Playing Test Cricket At The Moment – Mohammad Kaif
In a conversation with Timesofindia.com, Mohammad Kaif highlighted the importance of Shubman Gill making adjustments to his defensive technique. Kaif also pointed out Shreyas Iyer’s aggressive style, stating that the Test team resembles more of an ODI side.
“What I feel is that an Indian ODI team is playing Test cricket at the moment. Be it Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, or Shubman Gill, all are stroke makers. Gill loves to hit shots but doesn’t have much confidence in his defense. So he has to make adjustments to his defensive technique to see off good bowling spells. Even Shreyas Iyer is an aggressive player,” Kaif told Times of India.
Shubman Gill boasts a stellar record in one-day cricket, amassing 2,271 runs in 44 matches at an average of 61.37. In contrast, the 24-year-old batter scored 1,063 runs in 21 Test matches at a disappointing average of 29.52, including two centuries and four half-centuries.
Feel Washington Sundar Can Get A Look-In – Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif expressed hope that India would regain form before Virat Kohli’s return. Kaif also acknowledged the team’s weakened batting without Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, who have been ruled out of the second Test due to respective injuries.
“I hope it isn’t too late till Virat Kohli comes (after the second Test). Dhruv Jurel or in his current form, even Sarfaraz Khan can get a look in. But in the absence of KL Rahul and Jadeja, the Indian batting will weaken, no doubt about that. Axar may have to bat at No.8 and that’s why I feel Washington Sundar can get a look-in because they want batting till No. 9,” Kaif added.
Star batter Virat Kohli opted out of the first two Tests due to personal reasons, while KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja are sidelined for the Visakhapatnam Test. Sarfaraz Khan, Saurabh Kumar, and Washington Sundar have been included in the team as replacements.
The second Test match between India and England is scheduled to be played at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, starting on Friday, February 2. The home team has previously won two Test matches at this venue.
