Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif has launched a scathing attack on chief selector Ajit Agarkar and the BCCI selection committee over their handling of the T20I vice-captaincy, calling it “zero planning” after Shubman Gill was dropped from the T20 World Cup squad following his poor form. Axar Patel, who was originally vice-captain, had the role taken away and given to Gill when he returned to the side, only for the BCCI to perform a U-turn and reinstate Axar after Gill’s failure to score runs. Kaif believes the constant chopping and changing has hurt both Axar’s development as a leader and wasted valuable time that could have been invested in other players.

“Zero planning” and “total lack of foresight”

Kaif criticized Agarkar’s selection committee for backing Gill as vice-captain despite knowing there were better T20 players available, saying the decision has set Indian cricket back. He argued that the selectors should have invested time in players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson or Jitesh Sharma instead of persisting with Gill.

Kaif said,

“The selectors knew there were better players available for the T20 format. By sticking with Gill, they made a mistake that has set Indian cricket back. Over the last few months, they could have invested that time in players like Jaiswal, Samson, or Jitesh Sharma.”

Axar Patel’s leadership development hampered

One of Kaif’s main concerns was how the constant switching hurt Axar Patel’s growth as a potential future captain. Axar was originally named vice-captain during the five-match T20I series against England earlier in 2025, but lost the role when Gill returned to the side. Now, with Gill dropped, Axar has been reappointed as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy for the T20 World Cup.

Kaif explained,

“It is a loss for both Axar and the national team. If he had remained vice-captain, he would have been consistently involved in high-level team meetings and had the chance to refine his leadership skills. If Suryakumar Yadav were to pick up an injury, a better-prepared Axar would have known his squad inside out. That opportunity for growth was taken away from him.”

Right decision, but far too late

While Kaif agreed that dropping Gill based on form was the correct call, he was highly critical of the timing and the selectors’ refusal to act sooner. Gill failed to score consistently across 17 or 18 innings, yet the selectors backed him until the very last moment before the World Cup squad announcement.

Kaif said,

“You backed Gill until the very last moment only to drop him at the finish line. It is the right call, but it has come far too late. The planning has been non-existent; it has been a waste of time disguised as a strategy. You prioritised a player who simply wasn’t ready while better options were sidelined.”

He added,

“The selectors were eventually left with no choice because Gill failed to score in 17 or 18 innings. The pressure became untenable. No one likes dropping a player, but this indecision has cost the team precious time and denied opportunities to those who were actually in form.”

Gill dropped due to form and fitness concerns

Shubman Gill was left out of India’s 15-man T20 World Cup squad after struggling for runs in the T20I format. The selectors cited both form and fitness concerns as reasons for his exclusion. His omission means the vice-captaincy experiment has lasted just a few months before being reversed, exposing what Kaif sees as poor long-term planning by the Agarkar-led selection panel.

With the T20 World Cup beginning on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka, India will now go into the tournament with Suryakumar Yadav as captain and Axar Patel as his vice-captain—the same combination that should have been given continuity from the start, according to Kaif’s assessment.