Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has pushed back against the decision to drop wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant from Test vice-captaincy, insisting the player \u201chas not done anything wrong\u201d despite a difficult IPL campaign with the bat and as captain of Lucknow Super Giants. Kaif argued that red-ball and white-ball cricket are fundamentally different, and that Pant remains a genuine game-changer for India in Tests. He also pointed out that the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan will see KL Rahul take over the vice-captain role, starting June 6.<\/p>\n
Speaking on JioStar, Kaif said, \u201cRishabh Pant has not done anything wrong. Red-ball and white-ball are two different formats. People are judging him through the IPL, saying he is not doing a good job as captain, that his side is losing, and that he is not scoring runs. But in my view, there is no bigger match-winner for India in Tests as a batter than Rishabh Pant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kaif\u2019s defence came after another disappointing IPL showing for Pant, where he struggled to find the same impact in the shortest format that had made him a standout. In the ongoing tournament, Pant has managed 286 runs across 12 innings, averaging 28.60 and striking at a rate of over 140, with only one fifty. Lucknow\u2019s overall campaign has also been under pressure, with the franchise languishing near the bottom of the standings\u2014registering just four wins from 13 matches\u2014and missing out on a playoff berth.<\/p>\n
Kaif then broadened his argument to the selection mindset, suggesting that mixing performances across formats can lead to the wrong conclusions. He questioned why Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, despite doing well in the Ranji Trophy, did not receive a call-up, and whether Pant\u2019s modest IPL returns played any part in the thinking. He also raised eyebrows at the way seniority is being used in discussions around player inclusion, specifically mentioning Mohammed Shami, who is said to be sidelined because he is 35, while Rahul remains in the setup at 34.<\/p>\n
Continuing on JioStar, Kaif added, \u201cKL Rahul is 34 years old. On one side, you don\u2019t pick Mohammed Shami, saying age is the reason, and that you want younger players. So I would like consistency. Either back form, irrespective of age\u2014if someone is scoring runs or taking wickets, they should be selected. And I feel Rishabh Pant deserved to continue as vice-captain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has pushed back against the decision to drop wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant from Test vice-captaincy, insisting the player \u201chas not done…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":11173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2024: Kaif backs Rishabh Pant after Test axe","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Mohammad Kaif says Rishabh Pant was unfairly dropped from Test vice-captaincy, arguing he\u2019s a proven game-changer for India in red-ball cricket.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n