New Delhi, May 20: Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that Rishabh Pant deserved to remain the vice-captain of the Test team. Kaif stated that the wicketkeeper-batsman is India’s biggest match-winner in the red-ball format and has done nothing wrong.
Last year, when Shubman Gill was appointed as the red-ball captain for the England tour, Pant’s selection as vice-captain was seen as a clear indication of his recognition as a future leader.
Pant had captained India during the Test against South Africa in Guwahati after Gill was sidelined due to a neck injury. However, India faced a massive defeat by 408 runs, losing the series 0-2.
In IPL 2026, Pant led the Lucknow Super Giants but lost 9 out of 13 matches. He scored 286 runs at an average of 28.60, leading to KL Rahul being appointed as vice-captain for the upcoming Test against Afghanistan.
On ‘JioHotsar’, Kaif remarked, “Rishabh Pant has done nothing wrong. Red-ball and white-ball cricket are two completely different formats. Evaluating him based on IPL performance is misleading. He is, without a doubt, India’s biggest match-winner in Tests.”
Despite Pant’s poor performance as a batsman and captain in IPL 2026, Kaif believes that mixing formats for decision-making is not appropriate for the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar.
Kaif added, “The problem is that people conflate formats. Why hasn’t Aaqib Nabi been given a chance? Is it because he didn’t take wickets in the IPL? These are entirely different formats. KL Rahul is 34 years old. On one hand, you don’t select Mohammad Shami citing age, while on the other, you seek younger players. I would prefer consistency. Choose based on form, regardless of age. If you are scoring runs or taking wickets, you should be selected. Rishabh Pant deserved to remain as vice-captain.”
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