Former India batter Mohammad Kaif admitted that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) caught him off guard with the appointment of Rajat Patidar as there new captain. Earlier this week, RCB named Patidar as their new captain ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Kaif suggested that the move was a bit surprising as he thought Kohli would be the one to lead RCB, especially after the franchises decided not to retain Faf du Plessis, who led the team for three seasons.

Speaking in a video uploaded on X, Kaif pointed out that Kohli might have played a huge role in Patidar’s appointment.

“I thought that Virat Kohli would be the guy since they decided not to keep Faf du Plessis. I thought Virat Kohli might have had some conversations. See the thing is the team is being run by Virat Kohli. Even if he is not the captain, it’s on him as the team has to go for the players that he wants or plans to back. If Patidar is the captain, then for sure Kohli will have had a hand in that as well,” Kaif wrote on X.

“That franchise has not won a trophy in 18 years, but still Kohli has been with them for so many years. Without the trophy as well, he has built a lot of influence and respect and the brand value,” he added.

Kaif also suggested that Patidar’s appointment could be long term, especially considering that Kohli is past his prime and wants to focus on his contributions with the bat.

“I was a bit surprised when he did not take up the captaincy. By bringing in a young captain it could mean that he is around 37 years old and even he wants a young player as a captain for the long-term and focus on his contributions,” Kaif pointed out.

Star batter Virat Kohli is playing his first Ranji Trophy match in over 12 years with Delhi currently taking on Railways at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Many fans had arrived at the venue in the early hours, hoping to secure the best possible view of the former India captain. Kohli’s last appearance in the tournament came against Uttar Pradesh in 2012, a match that Delhi lost by six runs in Ghaziabad. Former India batter Mohammed Kaif, who played in that game, recalled the contest ahead of Kohli’s return.

Kaif suggested Kohli has the weakness he showed during that game against UP, getting caught while poking the ball outside the off-stump. For the unversed, Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Kohli on both the ocassions in that match. Kohli was caught behind eight out of nine times in the series against Australia. 

“The game had all the big stars playing. For Uttar Pradesh, there was Suresh Raina, Kaif, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Praveen Kumar. Talking about Delhi, they had Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehra, Ishant Sharma. I felt it was a testing time and I should stay alert as Kohli will nick one soon, and it happened when he went for a drive. I could not believe that our match against Delhi in 2012 was Kohli’s last Ranji Trophy match. The weakness he had earlier is still there. The way Bhuvneshwar Kumar got him out twice, I cannot believe that the same weakness is still there. The way he was getting out in Australia, he got out in the same way in that Ranji match,” Kaif said in a video posted on X.

Kaif, however, lauded Kohli for his achievements and hoped that he can regain his purple patch during the upcoming Champions Trophy.

“Despite having weakness against outside-off-stump balls due to his tight bottom hand, the stature he has achieved is commendable. He has 50 centuries in ODI cricket. Virat Kohli will get some practice (on his Ranji Trophy return); and if he scores runs and gets back to form, it will benefit India a lot. So we pray that he does well and spends some time at the crease. We hope he gets the kind of success he got in the 2023 ODI World Cup (scored 765 runs) in the 2025 Champions Trophy as well,” he added.

Former India batter Mohammed Kaif is hopeful of Virat Kohli regaining his form in the upcoming Champions League. The former India captain Kohli had a poor outing with the bat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, scoring only 190 runs in nine innings with the help of just one century. Kohli’s recent form has raised concerns over his future in the team, but Kaif suggested it would be stupid to write the star batter off just yet. India will be playing its T20I matches in Dubai after refusing to travel to Pakistan.

Kaif highlighted how Dubai has been a happy hunting ground for Kohli, and recalled his century against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup in 2022.

“Virat Kohli never accepts defeat and always makes a comeback. Don’t write him off in white ball cricket, the picture is far from over because he has 50 ODI tons to his name and nearly 13,000 runs in ODIs. So, forget what happened in Tests,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Kaif feels that if Kohli starts the Champions Trophy on a positive note, then there will be no stopping him after that.

“He plays differently in white ball. The last time Virat Kohli played in Dubai, he scored an unbeaten 122 off 61 balls against Afghanistan and smashed six sixes in his innings. His form was excellent and he loves playing in Dubai so, I expect him to do well with the bat in the Champions Trophy,” he added.

“If he scores well in the opening game, then he will keep scoring runs, I can take that guarantee. Virat Kohli white ball me ek betaaj badshah hai (Virat Kohli is an uncrowned king in white ball cricket). The era has not ended, it will continue,” Kaif said.

Kohli will make his Ranji Trophy return after 13 years, having expressed his desire to play Delhi’s match against the Railways starting January 30.

Before the Champions Trophy, he will also feature in a three-match ODI series against England.

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir is under the scanner following back-to-back Test series losses against New Zealand and Australia. Gambhir has endured a rough start as coach, and now his tactics have been brutally called out by his former India teammate Mohammad Kaif. In a video shared on social media, Kaif goes on a rant about the mistakes he felt that Gambhir had made during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, stating that Gambhir has not been up to the mark tactically.

Kaif requested Gambhir to provide explanations for several of his decisions during the Australia tour.

The former India cricketer acknowledged that while Gambhir may not have had the time to go and correct Virat Kohli‘s batting issues, he could’ve still done a better job with his tactics.

“The best coach is always the one who is tactically No. 1,” said Kaif, in a video shared on his own X account. “The best coach always knows exactly which XI to pick in what conditions.”

“Yes, you probably do not have the time to walk up to Virat Kohli and help him fix his technique, or tell him ‘Boss, I think you should do this’, perhaps you haven’t reached that stage within the team. But what is true is that Gautam Gambhir was lagging behind tactically. I watched his press conferences. I just want him to point out exactly where the mistakes were made,” Kaif continued.

“Why did Ravindra Jadeja not play the first Test? Why did a legend like Ravichandran Ashwin not play? He (Gambhir) should give an explanation!”

“Why did you pick Dhruv Jurel and drop Sarfaraz Khan who scored a 150? What exactly did you see in Harshit Rana that made you want to play him over Prasidh Krishna, who’s the perfect hit-the-deck bowler for Australian conditions?” Kaif further questioned.

Gambhir, along with captain Rohit Sharma, are reportedly set to have their performance reviewed by the BCCI in a series of meetings in the coming days. A number of topics, from Ashwin’s mid-series retirement to team discontent to Virat Kohli’s poor form, are set to be discussed.

Does Indian cricket team need a complete over-haul? The question has been doing the rounds since India’s capitulation in Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. After winning the first Test in Perth, India lost three of the remaining four Tests and lost the chance to seal a spot in the World Test Championship final. The series saw the retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma dropping himself from the playing XI in Sydney and question marks being raised on Virat Kohli‘s place in the side. 

Now, former India star Mohammad Kaif has said that India has lost its place as a top Test side.

“On 23rd February India will earn a lot of praise by beating Pakistan (in Champions Trophy) and everyone will say we are a champion team in white-ball cricket. But if India want to team the World Test Championship then we will have to make a Test match team, will have to learn to play on turning track and seaming tracks,” Mohammad Kaif said in a video.

“The truth is that we are just white-ball bullies. We are lagging too far behind. If we have to win WTC, then players will have to play domestic cricket on turning tracks, will have to practice on seaming tracks, otherwise we will not be able to win. We lost 3-1.

“India lost 1-3, and I think this is a wake-up call, because now we have to pay our attention towards Test cricket. It’s not just Gautam Gambhir who is at fault. All players get the chance to play Ranji Trophy, but it gets tiresome for the players and they prefer rest over playing Ranji Trophy. They don’t play Ranji Trophy, they don’t play practice matches then how will they become better players? It’s tough to play on turning tracks in India and tougher to play on seaming tracks in Australia and South Africa. So if you don’t practice well, WTC will keep eluding you. What has happened, it has happened for the good and now Team India needs to work hard in Test cricket.”

Ever since India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket, fans and fraternity has left no stone unturned to celebrate his illustrious career. With 765 wickets and 6 Test centuries to his name, Ashwin decided to call it a day, making the announcement at the post-match press conference after the Brisbane Test earlier this week. Now, former India batter Mohammad Kaif hailed Ashwin’s cricketing acumen while revealing an unheard tale.

Kaif recalled the time when Ashwin refused to bowl to Australia batter Steve Smith during a Delhi Capitals net session. Since Smith was wearing a camera on his helmet, Ashwin told Kaif that he didn’t want the Australian to record him and analyse his bowling ahead of the T20 World Cup.

“Steve Smith was in our team, and one day when he came to the nets to bat, I asked Ashwin to bowl to him, but the off-spinner denied. That’s when I was impressed with his in-depth analysis of the game, and I request you to name him an ‘in-depth’ Ashwin. Ashwin said, ‘I won’t bowl to Smith because he has got a camera on his helmet. He will record us and analyse it for the World Cup.’ I couldn’t notice the camera on Smith’s helmet, but Ashwin did. He was ready to help Smith as a teammate but not for the World Cup,” Kaif said in a video posted on X.

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More unheard stories about R Ashwin from his time with the Delhi Capitals and more.#CricketWithKaif11 pic.twitter.com/egtQwQxWpG

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) December 21, 2024

Yeah, I think Sunny (Sunil Gavaskar) described him really well–a very smart cricketer. And you know, he’s a cricketer who just stays on task, always working out a cunning plan. He’s got great belief in his own ability. He’s quite polarizing in many ways when it comes to the cricketing public, and even to his own team – he’s a very strong-minded person. But I personally want to wish Ashwin a wonderful retirement,” he added.

Ashwin will continue to play in the Indian Premier League, having been signed by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 9.75 crore at the mega auction last month.

Former India cricketer-turned-pundit Mohammad Kaif has advised Team India to take inspiration from the way Australia targeted Virat Kohli‘s weakness in their own plans to get Travis Head out cheaply. Kaif stated that even a player like Scott Boland – who isn’t a regular in the Australia first XI – knew exactly that Kohli’s weaknesses can be targeted by bowling in the outside off-stump region. Similarly, Kaif said that India should also be able to target Travis Head’s weakness in playing balls outside the off-stump.

“Virat Kohli ki kamzori log pakad ke rakhe huye hai. Off-stump ke bahar ball dalo, wahan out honge (People know Virat Kohli’s weakness and hold on to it. Bowl outside the off-stump, he’ll get out there),” said Kaif in a video posted on his own X account.

Rohit form? Virat and Outside off deliveries? Bumrah Workload? Siraj Behaviour?

Australia v India, BGT Report Card#CricketWithKaif11 #bgt2024 pic.twitter.com/aHFSUkTrUP

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) December 9, 2024

“Someone like Scott Boland plays only two or three Tests in a year, but even he knows exactly where you need to bowl to Kohli. You know that Kohli will mess up around the off stump and send a catch to the wicket-keeper or slip cordon” Kaif said.

“So why can’t the Indian bowlers target Travis Head’s weakness consistently with proper planning? Why can’t we pinpoint Head’s weakness and keep bowling outside the off-stump or target him with short balls? Every batter has weaknesses, why can’t we plan properly against Travis Head and trap him?” Kaif added further.

Head sent the India bowling to the cleaners in the second Test in Adelaide, scoring a sensational 140 in just 141 balls to set the foundation for Australia’s win. Australia recovered from a big 295-run loss in the first Test to deliver a thumping 10-wicket win in the second.

With the series poised at 1-1, both sides are eyeing victory with a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final at stake.