Why not the identical with him then?

Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif made a huge remark about India youngster Vaibhav Suryavanshi amid the T20I series against New Zealand. The Men in Blue lost the fourth game by 87 runs.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi was dropped for the fourth T20I with Ishan Kishan returning from injury. Mohammad Kaif reckoned that India could have stuck to playing Vaibhav, as they had already won the series. They dropped Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bring back Mayank Yadav. Therefore, the former cricketer felt that another youngster like Vaibhav could have been backed.

He added that Kishan could have been allowed to rest completely, as India had nothing to lose as far as the series was concerned.

“There was an opportunity to play him in this game. You had already won the series. You need to see the situation where you are in the series. On one side, you left Bhuvneshwar out and said you would bring back and back new players. Vaibhav is also new, why not the same with him then? On the same logic, he should have played. The platform was well set. Ishan came back and was keeping. I think he was still not fully fit to run around, that is why he was keeping. If it was this, then Kishan should not have played. It was not a do-or-die game,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi played the second and third T20Is. Mohammad Kaif opined that it was not good for a young player like him to have uncertainty regarding his place in the side.

“For a player, this is not a good sign. We saw what he can do in the last game. Wherever he plays, he mostly scores. This is not good for his confidence. This is not good for anyone, even if it is a senior player.”

The 15-year-old opened in the third T20I and performed well. He smashed a 19-ball 45 with four boundaries and as many sixes at a strike rate of 236.84.

Mohammad Kaif feels India should have played Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Mohammad Kaif further opined that India could have gone with the same opening combination of Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Suryavanshi. As Ishan Kishan kept wickets and may not have been completely fit, he reckoned the left-hander could have been considered for the final game instead.

“You could have gone with the same combination, given Kishan more time to rest, and then taken a call for the final game. It was set for Vaibhav to play here. Kishan was not fully fit, and you had won the series anyway,” he said.

Kishan was dismissed for a three-ball duck in the fourth T20I. Given his brilliant recent form, he was drafted back into the XI after being declared fit. It remains to be seen whether India will continue with him for the final T20I or give Vaibhav another chance.

Edited by Rishab Vm