Mohammad Kaif, a former India cricketer, has publicly backed the BCCI’s selection of KL Rahul as the captain for the ODI series against South Africa. This decision arises from an injury sustained by the regular captain, Shubman Gill, ruling him out of the upcoming fixtures. The ODI series is set to take place on November 30, December 3, and December 6, following the ongoing Test series.
Kaif discussed the rationale behind Rahul’s appointment, suggesting that the team management’s focus appears to be on future leadership. While he felt Rohit Sharma, considering his current batting form, could have retained the captaincy, he understands the shift in strategy to blood new leaders.
“There’s no one else,” Kaif reiterated, explaining that the team is moving forward and integrating newer players into leadership roles. He mentioned that while Rohit’s form merited continued captaincy, the team is looking to develop other options. He also noted that established figures like Virat Kohli are no longer in captaincy roles, and younger players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, and Ruturaj Gaikwad are still developing, with Rishabh Pant returning from a long layoff.
Kaif emphasized KL Rahul’s existing captaincy experience, particularly from his time leading teams in the IPL. This familiarity with leadership responsibilities, he feels, makes Rahul a suitable choice to lead the team against South Africa until Shubman Gill recovers. However, Kaif also voiced his bewilderment regarding Rohit Sharma, who had previously championed KL Rahul, being replaced as captain despite being available for selection.