Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has backed the decision to appoint KL Rahul as captain for the three-match ODI series against South Africa. Shubman Gill was ruled out with a neck spasm, whereas vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is still recovering from the injury he suffered in Australia ODIs. Gill is currently in Mumbai for an assessment of his neck injury.
Kaif said there was no other choice other than KL Rahul as the team has moved on from former skipper Rohit Sharma. The flamboyant batter has the experience of leading Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.
Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube Channel, “There’s no one else. Rohit Sharma should’ve captained but they moved on from him earlier. He should’ve been the captain now, given he is coming off a hundred in Sydney. The Indian team is now having a mindset of having to move on and giving opportunities to new players. Till the time Rohit is playing and in form, he should’ve captained. Virat Kohli won’t captain, Yashasvi Jaiswal doesn’t play that regularly, Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been given opportunities. Even Rishabh Pant is coming back after a long time.”
“Hence, he seems like the right choice. He has captaincy experience and even did it in IPL. Until Shubman Gill returns, Rahul seems like the right option. I’m still surprised though. The player who made the team, who backed KL Rahul, it’s Rohit Sharma. Despite being in the squad, the captaincy is snatched away from him. There will be questions about that,” he added.
Rahul has scored 3082 runs in 88 ODIs at an impressive average of 48.31.
The former Uttar Pradesh batter said Rahul’s number five position is fixed in ODIs as he has performed consistently.
“I think KL Rahul’s slot at 5 is fixed in ODIs – whether it be the Champions Trophy or World Cup, he performed well in that spot. So, he has an idea now. Hardik Pandya is also not there now, neither Iyer nor Gill. So, Rahul is the experienced middle-order player. Hence, he has the experience of finishing games and it’s better for him to play in that spot. If KL Rahul comes up, there is no one else behind. Rishabh Pant is making a comeback, Dhruv Jurel is a new player, so is Reddy. So, Rahul is most experienced in that. He can play according to the situation and guide the new player.”
The first ODI between India and South Africa will be played at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi, on Sunday.
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