Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has questioned the management and selectors for not picking RCB and Jammu & Kashmir seamer Rasikh Salam in the squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe as well. The first match is scheduled to be played on July 23 at the Harare Sports Club in Harare. On July 6, the BCCI announced the 15-member squad, featuring many new faces and a revamped bowling attack, with Ashok Sharma and Yash Thakur earning their maiden call-ups, while Mayank Yadav also returned as well.

Speaking on his YouTube channel (Mohammad Kaif), he said: “Rasikh Dar Salam took 19 wickets in the IPL. 19 wickets, and yet his name isn’t being discussed anywhere. On the other hand, Yash Thakur played just one IPL match and made it into the squad. Mayank Yadav hasn’t done much either. He played and ended up getting hit. You need to pick bowlers who have a winning mindset,” he added.

“That’s the most important thing, a winning mentality. Rasikh Dar Salam has been part of two IPL title-winning teams, and he played his role in those successes. He picked up 19 wickets and is a highly skillful bowler. Like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, he may not look like an express fast bowler because of his build, but that’s not what matters,” he again shared.

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However, Mohammad Kaif said that Rasikh Salam can bowl effectively in both the powerplay and the death overs and he has a variety of variations in his armoury as well. Talking about his surprise at the bowler’s omission, Kaif added that after being part of RCB over the last two victorious seasons, Rasikh would have been full of confidence as well.

He said: “If you bring in Rasikh Dar Salam, he’ll also deliver. He can bowl effectively in the powerplay and at the death. He has a back-of-the-hand slower ball, bowls cross-seam deliveries, can swing the ball, and is a very intelligent bowler. Yet his name isn’t being mentioned anywhere. I’m genuinely surprised. Here’s a player who has been part of RCB’s title-winning team twice.”

“He has a winning attitude, a winning mindset, and has spent time in a dressing room full of winners. You can imagine how much confidence that would have given him. I’m really surprised that he still hasn’t been given an opportunity. I honestly don’t understand how these selections are being made,” he concluded.