Former India batter Mohammad Kaif wasn’t pleased after the team lost to West Indies in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The 24-run loss meant that the five-match series is now level at 2-2, and both sides head into Bengaluru for the decider. Chasing 248 to win, the hosts managed 223 despite a good start.

Kaif pointed out that the long batting unit is impacting the bowling unit. “It is not bravery when you have batting till number eight. Rather, we can call it bravery when you have regular bowlers play on what is a good batting track,” Kaif told Cricbuzz.

“It would have been a brave call to have seven batters and five bowlers, with Axar Patel as the all-rounder, and we cannot call it a brave move by having the opposition score 250 and thinking the team can chase it down. If the team had actually played five bowlers, they wouldn’t have to chase that many runs. We should have specialist bowlers on flatter surfaces,” he added.

Kuldeep Yadav has been benched in the last two games of the series. The 31-year-old picked up three wickets in the first two games before he was dropped. Yadav was one of the better bowlers for India during the ODI series against the Caribbean side.

“Kuldeep should have been played. Rashid Khan made his name in T20 cricket while playing in Hyderabad. All the top four bowlers in ICC rankings are all leg-spinners, and Yadav on this track would have been more useful. The change of pace and bounce would have helped him. India should have dropped a batter and picked a bowler.”

Earlier, Kaif had praised Gambhir, calling him a perfect mentor for the Indian batters, who are struggling against spinners in red-ball cricket.

Tough challenge lies ahead

Bengaluru produces high scores in the IPL, and the bowlers from both sides could endure another tough day. Arshdeep Singh’s injury has also put a huge question mark on his participation in the game.

Speaking to the media after the game, Sanju Samson said: “Arshdeep was applying ice to his shoulder, and I am hoping he gets fine soon. He got hit and hopefully recovers soon.”

In just under a week, the team heads to New Zealand, where they will begin their tour with a five-match T20I series on 22nd October. This will be followed by five ODIs and the all-important Test series.