"Sab darr ke khel rahe hain" - Former India batter's huge statement on team management after IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has slammed the team management for not providing security to its players, which cost them the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that the players are playing with fear. While citing the example of Sarfaraz Khan and Sai Sudharsan, Kaif added that there is no backing from anyone – seemingly from the selectors, the coach, and the captain.

The statement came after the hosts failed to chase down 124 against the Proteas in the second innings of the opening Test in Kolkata.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said:

“Whichever players are playing, they don’t have a feeling that someone is standing for them. Koi backing nahi hai, sab darr ke khel rahe hain. (There is no backing; everyone is playing with fear.) Sab dar ke khel rahe hain, koi khul ke nahi khel raha (Everyone is playing in fear, nobody is playing with freedom). If Sarfaraz Khan’s place is not confirmed after 100 scoring a hundred. Even after scoring 100, he’s not able to make a comeback. Sai Sudharsan scored 87. He doesn’t play the next Test match. I think there is a lot of confusion in this team.”

“Players ko apne pe belief kam ho gaya hai, thoda insecurity bhi aa gyi hai (Players are not believing in themselves, there is insecurity as well). When there is insecurity and you come to play at turning tracks, you won’t be able to do well,” he added.

Notably, Sarfaraz Khan was dropped from India’s squad despite scoring 150 during the Test series against New Zealand at home last year. He then followed that up with 92 during India A's tour of England, but Karun Nair replaced him in the main squad for the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan was omitted from the playing XI for the first Test against SA despite scoring 87 against New Zealand in his last Test outing.

“Why did Sundar play well?” – Mohammad Kaif shares why Indian all-rounder looked sound in his batting technique against South Africa on Kolkata’s rank turner

Mohammad Kaif further explained why Washington Sundar looked at ease while playing on a rank turner when other Indian batters flopped in the second innings. The 44-year-old added that India missed the trick by not playing Sai Sudharsan despite his ability to play spin well. He said in the same interaction:

“Why did Sundar play well? He comes from Chennai. He has grown by playing on turning tracks. He knows how to use his feet and which balls to play with soft hands. How to keep the bottom hand.”

“Sai Sudharsan also comes from Chennai. If he were there at No. 3 and Sundar at No. 8, you would have won this Test match. He plays spin very well. Sudharsan comes from Chennai. He’s in form and scored 87. He’s not there in the playing XI,” he added.

Notably, Sundar faced 174 balls in the two innings, the most deliveries in the Test match.

Kaif concluded that there was no need for India to play with four spinners in home conditions:

“The South African team won the Test match with only two spinners; you're using four. There was no need to play four. This team is wrong.”

Surprisingly, Team India has lost four out of their last six Tests at home, including a 0-3 clean sweep by New Zealand.