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Former Indian national cricket team player Mohammad Kaif was stunned when skipper Rohit Sharma was dropped for the final match of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He believes the batsman was most needed in the Sydney Test.
Rohit Sharma made a shock decision ahead of the final match of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Indian national cricket team skipper withdrew from the squad for the last match and handed over the lead to Jasprit Bumrah with Shubman Gill replacing him as the batsman.
Rohit did not score runs in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy until the Sydney Test, scoring just 31 runs. However, going down in the last match did not work out as well as India lost the match by a margin of 6 wickets and lost the series 3-1.
I think Rohit should not play in Tests anymore because he was most needed in Sydney Test match – Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif was unimpressed with the way Rohit let himself down, saying he shouldn’t be playing Tests now. He added that the Indian captain should have led from the front and helped his team tie the game. In a video posted on his Twitter account, he said:
“I think Rohit should no longer play in Tests because he was most needed in the Sydney Test match, I had said he should have played. It would have been the right call. He should have forged a partnership with Jaiswal and lead (the team) to a 2-2 tie (in the series). not playing. Sensing he was a team man, he called in-form batsman Shubman Gill and said, “I’m not playing.”
Mohammad Kaif pointed out that Rohit Sharma’s absence was felt when Jasprit Bumrah got injured. He added:
“See, his absence was felt when Bumrah got injured in the second innings. Rohit Sharma, as captain, would have been there (had he played). He has been with the team, he knows Akash Deep, Siraj, Jadeja. o Prasidh Krishna is playing, and Rohit was traveling with everyone. So your main leader, at the crucial moment, there was no one, neither Bumrah nor Rohit Sharma.”
Rohit Sharma made the wrong decision to sit: Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif was not convinced with Virat Kohli leading the team in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. He said that the batsman was not captain for the past few years and had no idea about the team. He highlighted:
“What he (Virat Kohli) has not been leading in recent years is at the helm of the team, asking Siraj and Jadeja, ‘What are you going to do? tell me Prasidh Krishna was playing his first match, his length was not right. Who supports your young bowlers where there was pressure? There was nobody there. So, I said Rohit Sharma took the wrong decision to sit.”
Should have played no matter if he failed to score runs – Mohammad Kaif to Rohit Sharma
Kaif concluded by saying that regardless of the score, Rohit Sharma should have played the last match as he was in good form. He felt that Rohit had to play a big role in Sydney, but he left. He elaborated:
“He should have played, never mind if he had failed to score runs. Nobody scored runs. Neither was Kohli, Khawaja or Labuschagne (who was scoring a lot). Smith’s form came too late, there was no alt. – score matches”.
“Everyone was struggling for runs. KL Rahul scored early but he too failed later, scoring 100 or 0 at times. So nobody scored runs. As a leader, Rohit Sharma played a big role in that Test . Just being out there with the team he leads.”
Read also: Ben Stokes self-labels ‘bionic man’ after hamstring surgery, recovery journey begins
Virat can come back,
Bumrah is not the right fit to Captain Team India.
Gautam Gambhir is not the tactical coach India needs.
What is the way forward for Team India?#BGT #CricketwithKaif11 pic.twitter.com/7FUrwgFwIm— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) January 8, 2025
