Kaif slams India’s batting-heavy XI after West Indies level T20I series

Kaif says India needed another specialist bowler

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif criticised the team’s selection after West Indies beat India by 24 runs in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad, levelling the five-match series at 2-2. He argued that India had placed too much emphasis on batting depth and not enough on a specialist bowling attack.

India selected four specialist bowlers and two all-rounders, but West Indies made 247-3 in 20 overs. India attacked in reply but were bowled out for 223. Kaif said the balance of the side left the team expecting its batters to compensate for too few bowling options.

“Having batting till No.8 is not bravery. Bravery is playing your proper bowlers on a good batting wicket,” Kaif said on Cricbuzz. He argued India should pick seven batters and five specialist bowlers, with Axar Patel as the all-rounder, adding: “The flatter the conditions, the more specialist bowlers should play.”

Kuldeep’s omission questioned

Kaif also said India should have considered selecting Kuldeep Yadav instead of an extra batter. He pointed to the Hyderabad surface and the potential value of changes of pace and extra bounce, saying those conditions could help the left-arm wrist-spinner.

“I would have played Kuldeep Yadav. Rashid Khan made a name for himself on this Hyderabad track only,” Kaif said. “India could have easily dropped a batter and picked another bowler.”

India’s bowling concerns had surfaced earlier in the series: they failed to defend 250 in the second T20I and conceded 209 in the third, despite winning that match by 14 runs. The fifth and final match, at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, will decide the series.