The flat pitches have been an excuse for too long, it seems, and Gill needs to take responsibility.
The first two ODI matchups with West Indies were spectacular for the public. Both matches saw unimaginable runs being scored during the 50 overs. For the icing on the cake, India ended up chasing down both of these targets, creating a new ODI record in the process. Although, the way India let the West Indies score high on both occasions felt slightly concerning. India’s bowling lineup is as talented as their star batsmen. Yet, the Indian cricket team felt like it was solely relying on the batsmen to carry the team forward.
For now, the reason behind this stark contrast between Indian batsmen and bowling attack is attributed to flat pitches. Experts from all around the world and players themselves have agreed that Indian pitches have become unforgiving to the bowlers. Even head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed concern over the same. But Mohammed Kaif isn’t interested in the same excuse. He directly blames Gill for not being a good captain and letting the morale of his bowlers go down.
Gill is still learning the ropes, but he may not believe it yet
Shubhman Gill is not a bad captain. And he is certainly no stranger to the role. Throughout his career, he has been the leader of the team as a captain or vice-captain multiple times. Still, he has only been captaining the Indian team for three years.
When evaluated alone, Shubhman Gill is not a bad captain but is yet to reach the level of maturity and intelligence that the former leaders of the Indian squad have displayed. He is a good player alone, but individual performances are not enough to win a match or tournament.
Referring to his status as newly appointed and his inability to bring the best out of his bowlers, Mohammed Kaif was furious. “It's hurting me that he's not able to see these things. I don't know who is telling him things behind,” Kaif explains, according to a post from Cricketmythos. “First, he has to accept that he is still learning captaincy & that is why he needs experienced bowlers. This is why the captaincy is getting exposed. You cannot become a good captain by giving the excuse of a flat pitch.”
Kaif ended his advice by asking Gill to bring in the experienced bowlers and help them guide the younger bowlers in matches. With a mix of seniority and young blood, Kaif wants to help Gill prevent the brutal destruction of the newly capped Indian bowling attack.
