'Remind Kohli and Rohit to play in Ranji before seeking VIP treatment or travelling in big cars: Kaif advises in wake of Pant's success'

Following their disastrous Test series against New Zealand, where they suffered a humiliating 0-3 whitewash at home, veteran cricketers are now reflecting on their decision to skip the Duleep Trophy in September. This tournament was mandated by selectors as a crucial preparation for the upcoming Test matches, and the absence of key players has been called into question in light of India's poor performance.

With Delhi slated to take on Chandigarh in an away Ranji game starting Wednesday, Mumbai to host Odisha, and Indian contingent still having five more days left before their departure for Perth, which will host the Border-Gavaskar Test series opener on November 22, Kaif, speaking in a video posted on his social media handle, reckoned that they should play their respective domestic matches in a bid to find form.

“Absolutely. They need form, and they need to bat hours there. If they end up scoring a hundred, then it will benefit them immensely and serve as a morale booster,” he said.

Kaif reminded Kohli and Rohit that in the famous 2020/21 tour of Australia, Pant was not included in either the ODI or the T20I team and was the second-choice wicketkeeper after Wriddhiman Saha. He continued saying that the youngster benefited from playing a tour game against Australia, where he scored a century in Sydney before making the XI from the second Test onwards and eventually went on to carve out that match-winning knock of 89 in Gabba.

“Let me remind you of Rishabh Pant here. He ended up scoring the winning run in Gabba, but he was neither part of the ODI nor the T20I squad in that tour. He only went for the Test series, where Wriddhiman Saha played ahead of him. But India incurred that '36 all out' and we lost the match, Pant was included. But remember, Pant had played a practice match in that tour, in a Pink Ball match supposedly, and scored a century, after which he was included in the XI so he emerged as a whole different player then,” he said.

Kaif, with the Pant story, only stressed on the importance of a preparatory game for the two senior batters given that India cancelled their practice match in Australia, where they would focus on match simulation ahead of Perth opener.

“So whoever thinks that they are struggling to score runs and did not get enough game time, they should 100 per cent play in domestic cricket. Forget that you travel in big cars and flights and that you may not get VIP treatment there. If you want to find form, you need to put in that effort.”