Is Kaif the luckiest cricketer in the world?

Question

see there were so many in the past like KP Bhaskar Pillai, S Sharath, S Sriram who despite averaging in the 60's could not find a spot in the team. But Kaif with a first class average of just 37 finds himself ever-present in the ODI team and also playing test cricket. All Indian cricket needs is neutral selectors. Someone like that sort of an average will never find a place in the Australian test team or even England test team. See for instance Brad Hodge, who could have easily played 100 tests for any other test playing nation is still finding himself out of the Australian team. To me Kaif is the luckiest cricketer in the world. repeated failures dont stop the lunatic selectors to keep selecting him

Answer 1

I think you have not cared to view his other talents. He fields well and has the capability to handle the pressure well.

You just cannot compare cricketers of different nations. If you recall some Pakistani Cricketer commented that Kapil would not played for the country had he not been born in India. This certainly can not degenerate the achievements and talent of Kapil.

Luck favours the brave but not always. You should have a better cricketer available to replace him. You would also find that after the advent of Raina, Kaif has been dropped several times. So whenever competition becomes stiff, excellence only can prevail.

Kaif does not seem to have any God Father in Indian Selection Committee. You should not also forget how Kaif led the UP team to title in Ranji Trophy last year.

He may be averaging low but see the conditions in which he steps in and at what position he plays.

The players you have mentioned: Bhaskar Pillai, S Sharath and S Sri ram. These were good players in the domestic cricket but in crucial matches whenever given a chance they all faltered against pace. Though I find Bhaskar was never given a reasonable chance to play. But S Sharath was given a chance to play India A in SA and BD, wherein he did not impress the selecters. S Sriram played 8 ODI for India wherein he averaged 13.5 and could not show his talent and impress the selecters. Technique came into question while playing fast bowling.

Answer 2

Actually he played in 13 tests in last six years. he got an average of 63 in 2006 in 6 tests. I think it's proper to test him in tests ( only 13 in six years).

But look at his oneday statistics in last 5 years

Years mts i no runs HS avg 100 50
2002 32 24 7 692 111* 40.70 1 3
2003 27 25 4 478 95* 22.76 0 3
2004 22 20 5 564 80 37.60 0 4
2005 22 21 5 697 102* 43.56 1 4
2006 19 17 3 294 66* 21.00 0 3


overall 122 107 24 2725 111* 32.83 2 17

Here is his last few innings (latest one is 30)
102* 8 93* 38* 13 1 46 16* 8 5* 0 0 4 0 0 5 15 66* 5* 4 61 62 12 1* 21 30

Somebody said he played at no 6 , which is a difficult position to play, right, but unless he plays that good he will not be promoted.
Some one said about hayden, hayden didnot play good in his first five years after debut, that is why he did not get chances much in those days , 7/8 tests in first five years.
Only when he clicked he became regular.
Now how kaif has become regular in one day team , how i don't know.
May be he is lucky, or may be chappel is happy with him, may be sourav was happy with him, may be kiran more was happy with him. God knows.

Answer 3

I dotn know if you watch cricket closely enough! Kaif is the most unlucky player ever! Rewind to the triseries last season in Zimbabwe. He was in fine form and why was he not included in the test side? Because of the Ganguly-Chappell saga! And then the guy didnt get a chance to bat against srilanka as mostly our top order clicked brilliantly against them. He played a masterful innings against the Westindians. He is a gritty player with a keen mind on the game. Dropping him by virtue of his numbers and statistics? Crazy idea......I am happy that you are not a selector...Further 10 years ago Matthew Hayden's statistics were really bad. He made his debut in the late nineties but did not click until 2001. If the aussies had dropped him , the world would have lost one of the most powerful batsmen known to cricket lovers! The same holds true for Andrew Symonds. His statistics sucked until the world cup in 2003 when he smashed that unbelievable century against pakistan. On Brad Hodge, definitely he is good and you know why he is not there in the side? That is because there are better players with a good track record. Who do you have in mind to replace Kaif? Any new solid middle order bat with a proven track record? Finally, you know who should be taken out of the side? Raina...only because he has got his chances and he has blown it! Kaif on the other hand is a proven team player with a track record of match winning performances all over the world. He is an excellent fielder and one of those guys who can keep the score-board ticking. Drop him and you send a wrong message to the other guys waiting in the wings! And hey, batting averages are very misleading..Please be human and consider the effort the guy puts in to his cricket!

Answer 4

Are there any other fielders like him?I dont think the game is only bout averages.He has won so many matches for India becase of some stunning turning point catches,or his last 5 over lighting running betwen the wickets.If ur good in another field of the game and can play in an alternative field when then they shud let u play.It's not like we have 10 jonty rhodes in our team.To me sehwag shud be kicked.Scoring once in a blue moon doesnt help the team ata ll.It just enteratains the crowd for 2hours of every 14 hours( personally i think just 4 hours) of batting every 10 matches.Plus he is more recognized than Kaif.Now seriously who do uthink is the luckiest cricketer in the WORLD?!!

Answer 5

Yes,you are right.I completely agree with you.

Kaif played superbly in the Natwest Trophy final.
And of course he is a superb fielder

But he has'nt batted that well after Natwest.
Going by his stats he is not a full-time batsman
like Sehwag,Dravid;he is just a bits and pieces player.
For a long time he has'nt played brilliant or match winning knocks.
I am not saying he is a weak batsman,but his stats have'nt
been promising.
As far as domestic cricket is concerned,he was the
captain of the World Cup winning under 19 team.even Yuvraj Singh was a part of that team.That's how he got a break
in the national side.
He is lucky to be still retained.


Best Regards,

Answer 6

first of all you need to view things in the right perspective. firstly, Kaif is not a regular member, at least of the Indian test team. secondly, in ODIs, if his average is low, its not because he doesnt have talent. he has been assigned the most difficult task in the one day setting. he has to bat at no. 6 or 7 with not too many overs at hand, and having to blast right way, often gets out. but, when indian team gets into trouble with 2 or 3 quick wickets, it is then that he blossoms and leads india out of trouble. his heroics in the Natwest trophy final is ample evidence of this. in fielding too he saves 10-15 runs and that adds to his utility. in tests too, he hasnt been given a proper chance, say, for a whole series. one bad knock and he is back on the bench. in that respect, he might consider himself the unluckiest cricketer in the world!

Answer 7

Kaif is retaining his place in the Indian Team mainly because of his fielding.. He can save morfe runs in the field gthan any other plahyer in the Indian Team. However, he cannot continue in the Indian Team only because of his fielding and if he does not bnat well, his days in the Indian Team are numbered.

Answer 8

May be yes! why because cricket is a game for allrounders that is bat,bowl&field each player who is selected to international team should/must/can/may know this about how to bat,bowl&field. Here kaif don't know how to bowl,know's only ordinary batting(means he don't know how to hit sixes,rarely he hits fours)that means he is capable of taking only single,two's.
his average is around 30 which is not acceptable in international arena where allround performance is dominating

Answer 9

He is the luckiest in the world
to be in Indian Team:

His body language is like
a mentally retarted boy, wanting
to play, but cannot.

He has been kept in the team
because of the pressure of
Sonia Gandhi, for appeasing
Muslim Voters.

She has become very cunning
and as idiot like others to know
the tricks of voting.

Even if Kaifu scores less than 10
in each match, he will not be
througn out of the Team.

Hi Sonia, kill Indian Team.

Answer 10

If he were really that, he would have got some more runs to justify his regular selection in the tourning 14 / 15 / 16 and the playing 11 ...