Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif slammed the team management for not backing in-form Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the two-match T20I series against Ireland. India was stunned by Irish team as they suffered a 2-0 series loss. The visitors lost the opening game at Belfast by 34 runs and were beaten in the second game by one run on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi earned his maiden T20I call-up after smashing 776 runs in 16 matches of IPL 2026 while playing for Rajasthan Royals. 

However, India decided to keep backing the opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson in the two T20Is. India’s think tank said Sooryavanshi would need to wait for his chances as Sharma and Samson have delivered consistently for the team in the last couple of years.

But, Kaif questioned the selectors and team management for their decision to move on from Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav as far as ODI and T20I captaincy was concerned adn thus the former UP batter questioned the different logics of the team.

“If we talk about the best playing XI, Vaibhav Suryavanshi had a place in there, his name should have been there. The logic given was that this is a World Cup-winning team, so we will go with the same XI, and Vaibhav will have to wait. But you have to be consistent with that logic, right?” Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

“When Rohit Sharma was dropped as captain after winning the Champions Trophy, it was said that they are focused on the future, so they wanted a young captain. Same with Suryakumar Yadav as well, dropped after winning the World Cup, and once again, being told that they are looking towards the future. If you are looking at the future, you have a 15-year-old player, who is bringing a better future than him? If they wanted to stick with a winning team, then they should have stuck with Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav as well,” he added.

India will next take on England in a five-match T20I series.