'It's not just him, many haven't scored runs' - Mohammad Kaif questions selectors' decision to drop Cheteshwar Pujara for West Indies tour

Renowned cricketer Mohammad Kaif has raised concerns over the selectors' decision to single out Cheteshwar Pujara and drop him from the Indian squad following their defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. As India prepares to face West Indies in a two-match Test series starting on July 12, Pujara's exclusion from the 16-member Test squad has raised eyebrows, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad earning a spot instead.

Kaif questioned the inconsistent selection approach regarding Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, suggesting that the team management needs to make decisive choices. Expressing the need for new players, he advised against waiting for the senior players to regain form and be selected again.

During a recent discussion on 'Virtual Encounters' on DD India, Kaif expressed his thoughts on Pujara's omission, emphasizing that the team's loss in the WTC final was primarily due to poor bowling performance. Kaif suggested that considering the conditions, India should have opted to bat first and included Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI.

"It's not just Pujara; many players haven't scored runs. Pujara always seems to be the one getting dropped. It's difficult to comprehend why he has been excluded," Kaif remarked, highlighting the tactical mistakes made by the team. In the WTC final against Australia, India conceded 469 runs after opting to bowl first on a challenging surface and failed to reach the 300-run mark in both innings.

"If someone like Pujara is not in your long-term plans, you need to make that call. The same goes for Rahane. Once you have new players, move on from Rahane and Pujara. Don't wait for them to regain their form and then bring them back," Kaif asserted. Kaif also criticized the recall of Pujara based on his county performances and Rahane's appointment as the vice-captain for the West Indies tour.

Kaif urged the selectors to communicate their decisions clearly to the players, stressing the need to move forward once choices have been made. He emphasized that senior players cannot be dropped and picked again without a clear vision, emphasizing the significance of a future-oriented approach.

As India gears up to face West Indies, the selectors' decision to drop Pujara and the questions raised by Kaif add another layer of intrigue to the team dynamics. Only time will tell if this strategic change yields the desired results or if it will prompt further debate and analysis in the cricketing fraternity.