Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has supported Indian batter Karun Nair, urging the Indian team management to continue backing the talented player despite his recent lean patch. Nair, who made his return to Indian Test side following an eight-year hiatus, hasn’t been able to repay the faith. In the first three matches since his return, Nair has managed low scores, not quite living up to expectations. Meanwhile, Kaif also highlighted that whenever India lose, they start panicking.
"One thing I've noticed - when India lose, they panic. When they win, they stick with the same XI. After losing the first Test, they made 2-3 changes. But after winning in Birmingham, only Bumrah came in - no other changes. That's been the pattern," Kaif told IANS.
"Even after losing the third Test, I believe they should back the same team going into Manchester. Karun Nair has been getting starts in - 30s and 40s - but not converting. Still, he deserves another opportunity. This is a test for both Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir. After a close loss, will they panic and make changes? Or will they trust the players?" he added.
Kaif lauded India’s resolve in challenging England despite going down. India lost the first game but bounced back strongly in the second game, winning it by 336 runs. However, they again stumbled in the third game, losing it narrowly by 22 runs.
“India dominated for 12–13 out of the last 15 days. They played solid cricket, both with the bat and the ball. When this team landed in England, most people predicted a 0-4 or 1-4 defeat, but they’ve surprised everyone,” Kaif said.
“Without Kohli, Rohit, Shami, and Ashwin, this young team stood up and delivered. They lost two close matches – Headingley was in India’s grasp, and so was the final Test while chasing 193. Shubman Gill has led from the front – as captain and as a batsman. There were doubts about his ability to perform in English conditions, but he answered with the bat. With a bit of luck, India could’ve won all three Tests,” Kaif said.