Ok Now...we must not hype things out of proportions...the Indian Media has an old and bad habit of making ’’The-Cricketer-Who-Just-Won-India-A-Match’’ nothing less than demi-gods! What then happens is the he becomes a ’’Laxman’’.
He thinks ’’Oh Boy! I am a superstar now..let me sign some endorsements...get a kewl booty of a crore per year...and oh yes I have arrived..!’’. This thinking has affected many a cricketer’s careers.But Kaif’s Kase is different.
Mohammed Kaif is a team man, former under 19 captain and has won us the U-19 world cup recently.He possess all the characterstics of All Rounder Micheal Bevan..who till a few years ago used to win matches for Aussies even after half of their batting was twiddling thumbs back in the pavilion.
He handles the pressure well, takes the responsibility to see the team thru in a level-headed fashion, is calculative and practically calculates what exactly is required from him.He knows how to put a price to his wicket and simply not throw his wicket.It’s heartening to see he peps up even the senior batsmen at the other end.
The exquisite and sweetly paced centuries at Ind V/s Eng. Final at Natwest Trophy and Ind V/s Zimb. at Colombo were very unusual but similar in nature....That is ’coz it was coming from an Indian bat! Neither was his style influenced from Dravid nor from Tendulkar.He has his own style...run the ball down to third man, use the wrist to squeeze the ball in rare gaps...go for the expansive drives ONLY when needed...and most importantly keep the scorer busy.He doesn’t try Sehwagisque heroics...’’either hit 4s or 6s...why should one run? who wants to lose weight! :-O ... ’’...
Not to forget he is grease lightinin’ in the field...has a safe pair of hands , can slide without bruising his arm(how many of the Indians actually have that ability ? ummm....Robin Singh, Tendulkar, Dravid..??..??..whoa...)...
I have a hunch Kaif can flourish and be a match winner all along till the world cup and beyond , provided he is’nt shuffled around the batting order...Here is wishing him G8 luck and may our problems in the middle-order batting be solved forever!