Former India cricketer turned commentator, Mohammad Kaif, has come down heavily on the Indian team following their Test series loss against Australia. Notably, India lost 1-3 in the five-match series against Australia as they failed to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the first time.
Analyzing India’s loss, Mohammad Kaif called India ‘white ball bullies’ who’re lagging too far behind in Test cricket. He also mentioned how the entire nation will forget about the Australia series loss if we manage to beat Pakistan in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
India’s dismal performance in BGT 2024-25 results in a series loss for India 3-1 after a decade
The India Cricket Team recently suffered a humiliating 3-1 loss in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. And India’s poor batting is to be blamed largely for the loss in IND vs AUS Test series. And the team’s poor batting largely stems from the senior players who fail to play domestic cricket, especially the Ranji Trophy. Former India star Mohammad Kaif has blamed the star players for missing out on playing the domestic format.
Mohammad Kaif went on to explain that the BGT loss is now a wake up call for both the team and the players. He further claimed that emphasis needs to be made on Test cricket. Mohammad Kaif also pointed out that players player taking rest rather than playing in Ranji Trophy, and that led to the disaster.
Mohammad Kaif Slams India’s 3-1 BGT Loss, Calls For Players’ Participation In Domestic Cricket
Mohammad Kaif, the former India cricketer, launched a scathing critique on the Indian cricket team after their 3-1 loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series, calling the Men in Blue ‘white-ball bullies’. With the 3-1 loss in the five-match series, India also ended their chances of qualifying to the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the third consecutive time.
Mohammad Kaif stressed the importance of building a strong Test team for India and highlights the significance of players’ participation in domestic cricket.
Mohammad Kaif further made a scathing remark on the India Cricket Team. He went on to address the team as white ball bullies. He explained that on 23rd February, India would defeat Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy. And this would garner a lot of praise from far and wide. But he warned that if India wants to win the World Test Championship, then the team needs to learn how to bat on seaming tracks.
“On February 23, India will likely receive a lot of praise for defeating Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, and everyone will hail them as a champion white-ball team. However, if India aim to win the World Test Championship, they need to build a strong Test team and learn to perform on turning tracks and seaming pitches alike.
The reality is that we are primarily white-ball bullies and are falling behind in Test cricket. To win the WTC, players must play domestic cricket on turning tracks and practice on seaming pitches; otherwise, we won’t be able to succeed.” he said in a video posted on his Instagram page.
The India Cricket Team recently suffered a humiliating 3-1 loss in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. And India’s poor batting is to be blamed largely for the loss in IND vs AUS Test series. And the team’s poor batting largely stems from the senior players who fail to play domestic cricket, especially the Ranji Trophy.
India’s 3-1 Loss Is A Wake-Up Call: Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif termed India’s 3-1 loss as a ‘wake-up call’ and stated that it is not just Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir who is at fault for the failure, but the whole team. Kaif said that without proper preparation, India will continue to struggle in the World Test Championship and urged the team to work harder in Test cricket.
“India’s 3-1 loss is a wake-up call, highlighting the need to shift focus towards Test cricket. It’s not just Gautam Gambhir who is at fault; all players have the opportunity to play in the Ranji Trophy, but many prefer rest over participating. If they skip Ranji Trophy matches and practice sessions, how can they expect to improve.
Playing on turning tracks in India is challenging, but playing on seaming pitches in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa is even tougher. Without proper practice, the World Test Championship will continue to elude India. What has happened, happened for the best, and now Team India must put in the hard work to excel in Test cricket,” Kaif added.
The next round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 begins from January 23, it remains to be seen whether the senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will return to play domestic cricket as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is also on the horizon. India don’t play any more Test cricket till their tour to England in June later this year. Hence, the senior players will have to find a way to regain their form for the betterment of the team if India are to start the next cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) on a good note.