IND vs SA: Mohammad Kaif orders Gautam Gambhir & Co. to give rest to Shubman Gill in T20Is, wants this player to replace him

Mohammad Kaif said that management should rest Shubman Gill and provide opportunities to proven players.

Former Indian Cricket Team batter Mohammad Kaif has attacked management for backing Shubman Gill despite his series of poor scores in the T20Is. Moreover, he has also backed Sanju Samson to get more opportunities in the T20I team, while urging management to rest Gill from the shortest format.

His comments came after Gill got out cheaply in both the opening T20I games against South Africa. The right-handed batter got out for four runs in the opening game in Cuttack, followed by a golden duck in the second clash in New Chandigarh.

Earlier in September, the 26-year-old returned to the shortest format ahead of Asia Cup 2025. He was appointed as the vice-captain and took over the opening slot from Samson, pairing with Abhishek Sharma at the top. However, after failing to score any half-centuries in 2025 in T20Is, his spot in the side has come under scrutiny.

I think the time has come to give him a break: Mohammad Kaif on Shubman Gill

Cricketer-turned-commentator Kaif, while speaking on his YouTube channel, said that it is the right time for management to give a break to Gill from T20Is and try proven players. He also added that Samson impressed with his batting stints last year and deserves a place in the team.

“Look at how he is getting out, caught at slip, stepping out and mistiming, trying aggressive strokes like Abhishek Sharma and getting caught. He has tried everything. I think the time has come to give him a break and try players who are proven,” he said.

“Sanju Samson is a top-quality player; he hasn’t received enough chances. There should not be double standards. Even vice-captains have been dropped before. If it is in the team’s interest to rest Gill and bring in someone else, there is nothing wrong with it,” the 45-year-old further added.

The former Indian batter also blasted management for overlooking players like Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal despite their success in T20Is.

“But now it feels like the time has come for changes. You dropped players like Jaiswal, you kept Sanju Samson on the bench without giving him consistent chances, even though he scored heavily as an opener. He hit three centuries in five T20 innings, something no one in history has done,” he stated.

“Some players get very few chances, while others get extended runs because you want to settle them in the team. That is clearly visible. But now, I think the pressure has increased so much that it is time for a change somewhere,” Kaif concluded.

Notably, Jaiswal played as an opener in the ODI series against South Africa in Gill’s absence due to a neck injury. The left-handed batter hammered a match-winning century in the series-decider third ODI to win Player of the Match. On the other hand, Samson was benched in the first two T20I encounters against the Proteas.

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