Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif reckons either Tilak Varma or Shivam Dube might be dropped in the next six months to accommodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in India’s playing XI. Sooryavanshi is definitely breathing down the neck of the team management and the selectors for a place in the final XI but head coach Gautam Gambhir recently said the youngster would need to wait for his chances.

Tilak Varma is currently the vice-captain of the T20I team but Kaif recalled that vice-captains have been dropped before. Kaif highlighted that Shivam Dube is playing purely as a batter, as he is conceding a lot of runs with the ball. Dube’s form has been hit-and-miss in the recent past.

“I understand that Tilak is the vice-captain. But vice-captains have also been dropped before. I do not want to go there. Shivam Dube is not scoring in every game and still has to prove himself. Fielding is also his weakness, and he is not a proper bowling all-rounder. He is only playing as a batter. After six months, either Tilak or Dube will be out. You will have to remove one, and Suryavanshi will play. I am saying this right now,” Kaif said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Kaif reckons Sooryavanshi can fit in the playing XI in place of Yash Thakur, who didn’t bowl against Japan despite being part of the team.

“If you make a team according to the conditions in the Asian Games, Suryavanshi can fit in. You can leave Yash Thakur out. He still has to prove himself. A deserving player is not getting a chance in the XI, and we are playing someone like Yash, who has to prove himself. He is playing over Suryavanshi because he is a bowler. There will not be flat or batting-friendly pitches. If the wickets are slow, you can leave Yash out. Sundar, Bishnoi, and Axar can bowl 12 overs. Arshdeep will bowl four. Bumrah is also there.”

India will start their Asian Games campaign on 28th September, but the opponent is yet to be decided.