Former India middle-order batsman Mohammad Kaif has shared his opinion of India’s next wicketkeeper. Currently, KL Rahul is Kohli’s go-to guy behind the stumps in the ODIs and T20Is. Virat Kohli seems optimistic about continuing with Rahul as India’s wicketkeeper in the near future. Rahul’s ability to don the gloves will give India the option of playing an additional batsman. However, Mohammad Kaif feels the Karnataka batsman isn’t a long term option for the Indian team.
Kaif also feels that MS Dhoni who hasn’t played any competitive cricket in the last 10 months shouldn’t be ruled out from the contention for the T20 World Cup squad. The Indian wicket-keeper last played cricket during India’s semi-final loss to New Zealand in the World Cup 2019 in England. He was set to return in action with IPL 2020. However, the tournament is suspended due to the pandemic outbreak of the Corona Virus.
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Kaif speaks how the Indian team hasn’t been able to find a good worthy replacement for MS Dhoni yet. He adds how Rahul should be a back-up wicketkeeper only.
Mohammad Kaif said, “There has been no replacement. So many players have been tried in place of Dhoni. I don’t think KL Rahul is a long-term option. He should always be the back-up wicket-keeper, if a keeper gets injured then Rahul should keep wickets. So you have to groom another keeper. Even Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson haven’t been able to take the place of Dhoni.
“He added, When you talk of Sachin, Dravid, you have had replacements like Kohli, Rohit, Rahane, Pujara. They have filled that void. But it hasn’t been the case with Dhoni. So I think Dhoni is still the number one wicket-keeper. He is amazingly fit and he should not be sidelined in a hurry.”
Emphasizing how Dhoni is still irreplaceable and extremely fit, the 39-year-old pointed out that MS Dhoni’s batting has n’t affected much due to lack of cricket. Kaif says, “People think that there is a gap, and had he played in the IPL it would have been easier for him to make a comeback. But I don’t think so.”
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“Dhoni is such a big player, he is a proper match-winner who knows how to play under pressure at number 6 and 7 and he is absolutely fit. So in my mind, Dhoni is the number one player. No matter how many players come, you cannot replace MS Dhoni, because I think that if you remove someone, then another player should be ready,” Mohammad Kaif further added.
