Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif feels the BCCI should continue backing Suryakumar Yadav, even though reports suggest the management is looking to move on from him. He said Suryakumar deserves more support and compared his situation to Virat Kohli, who also went through a rough patch but was trusted by the team.

According to reports, Shreyas Iyer is set to become India’s new T20I captain, and the BCCI is expected to make the announcement along with the squad for the Ireland series.

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Mohammad Kaif backs Suryakumar Yadav

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said Suryakumar is an experienced and proven player.

“Suryakumar Yadav is not a new batter. He is a proven player. Just in the last IPL, he scored 700 runs. Not being in form is one thing. Even Kohli was out of form for two years, but the belief was there that once he got the touch, he would score again. Suryakumar is on par with Kohli in T20S, he is not less,” Kaif said.

He also spoke about Suryakumar’s performances in big tournaments.

“Don’t compare in World Cups. I agree he has not scored in World Cups, but he is not a light player. Even a player like Kohli had a bad patch, but he got the backing. Every player has a bad time. You could drop him after a series or two, then I would not have had a problem. At least give the winning captain some respect,” he added.

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Kaif further said Suryakumar should have been given a bit more time.

“I feel the timing is wrong. You can remove Surya, but you should have given him at least one more series. If he did not score there, then you could say now we are moving on. We gave you a chance, but you are not able to get back to form, and now we are looking towards other players. But the one who becomes captain now will have different pressure that if this has happened to Surya after winning as well, what can happen to me? He should have gotten a few more chances, and then you could remove him,” he said.

Mohammad Kaif on Shreyas Iyer as future India captain

On Shreyas Iyer becoming the likely captain, Kaif added that the batter is a strong choice because of his leadership record in the IPL.

Kaif said Gautam Gambhir has previously worked with Iyer at Kolkata Knight Riders, where they won the title together. He also pointed out that Iyer has led Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to IPL finals.

He said Iyer understands the leadership style and is experienced in handling pressure. According to him, Iyer also contributes with the bat while captaining, which makes him a strong option.

Kaif added that there are very few players who can lead and score runs consistently, and in his view, Iyer stands out among the options available.