The lack of domestic cricket taunts continue haunt Indian cricket team’s seniors, with experts refusing to turn down the intensity of their criticism after 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand. Many still feel that the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would’ve benefitted had they decided to feature in the Duleep Trophy. Some even suggest that the duo should play the ongoing Ranji Trophy. Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif also holds a similar stance, suggesting the top stars should let go of their big cars, flights and VIP treatment and go back to domestic cricket.
In the Ranji Trophy, Delhi are slated to take on Chandigarh in an away game while Mumbai are to host Odisha in the upcoming fixtures. The Indian contingent isn’t leaving for Australia before the end of the week. Hence, Kaif feels certain players should make themselves available for Ranji Trophy.
Absolutely. They need form, and they need to bat hours there. If they end up scoring a hundred, then it will benefit them immensely and serve as a morale booster,” Kaif said in a video shared on social media.
Kaif also shared a Rishabh Pant reminder from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020 series where the wicket-keeper batter came into the team on the back of a century in a practice match and helped India make history Down Under.
Let me remind you of Rishabh Pant here. He ended up scoring the winning run in Gabba, but he was neither part of the ODI nor the T20I squad in that tour. He only went for the Test series, where Wriddhiman Saha played ahead of him. But India incurred that ’36 all out’ and we lost the match, Pant was included. But remember, Pant had played a practice match in that tour, in a Pink Ball match supposedly, and scored a century, after which he was included in the XI so he emerged as a whole different player then,” he said.
Kaif has urged the likes of Kohli, Rohit and others to forget the VIP culture and get back to playing domestic cricket if they are to turn their form around.
“So whoever thinks that they are struggling to score runs and did not get enough game time, they should 100 per cent play in domestic cricket. Forget that you travel in big cars and flights and that you may not get VIP treatment there. If you want to find form, you need to put in that effort,” he asserted.