According to Mohammad Kaif, the choice of KL Rahul and Shubman Gill over Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav in India’s ODI team is a clear indication of Rohit Sharma’s preferences.
Despite Kishan’s impressive double-century against Bangladesh and Suryakumar’s strong form in T20I, the two Mumbai Indians players were not chosen for the first two ODIs of the series against Sri Lanka.
When asked to choose between the KL Rahul-Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan-Suryakumar Yadav combos during an appearance on the Star Sports show ‘Match Point’, Mohammad Kaif stated that Rohit Sharma’s thought process was evident in his decision to play the former duo in India’s first two ODIs against Sri Lanka.
Kaif acknowledged that while Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav are both talented players, Sharma’s preference for consistency and giving players a longer run likely played a role in the decision.
Mohammad Kaif noted that Shubman Gill and KL Rahul have been performing well in their specific roles for the team. In the opening match, Gill opened the innings and consistently scored runs while Rahul finished strongly in the last one. He also praised Indian captain Rohit Sharma for having a clear vision and understanding of his players’ abilities.
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has praised Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma for his clear thought process in selecting the playing XI for the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka. Kaif stated that Sharma’s decision to play Shubman Gill and KL Rahul over Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav is a reflection of his desire to give his players a consistent run in the team. Kaif also praised Rohit for not being swayed by the temptation to play the more aggressive duo of Kishan and Suryakumar, despite their recent performances.
The performances of Gill and Rahul in the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka have validated Rohit Sharma’s decision to select them over Kishan and Suryakumar. Gill contributed with a solid 70 runs in the first match while Rahul sealed the second match with an impressive, unbeaten 64 runs knock.
As we are now leading the series by 2-0, many fans believe that India should make some changes to their playing XI for the third ODI.