Ranji Trophy 2011-12: Super League

[Crookbond]

Kaif quits as Uttar Pradesh captain

Mohammad Kaif has stepped down as captain of Uttar Pradesh [uP] after six years in the role. He would like to remain a part of the side, he said, as a batsman. "I am happy with my stint as captain of the UP side. In the last six years, we reached four finals and once won the [Ranji] title," Kaif told Times of India in Bangalore, where he is with Royal Challengers Bangalore for the Champions League T20. "But now I want to play just as a batsman. I informed him [uP Cricket Association secretary Rajiv Shukla] about this after the Challenger Trophy. There is no dearth of talent in the state. Whoever is chosen [as the next captain], I will support him." Kaif was named captain for the 2005-06 domestic season, leading UP to their maiden Ranji title that year, as well as the final of the domestic one-day tournament, which they lost to Railways. UP has made two Ranji finals under Kaif since, losing to Delhi in 2007-08 and Mumbai in 2008-09. No replacement has been named as yet. UP play their first Ranji fixture of the 2011-12 season against Punjab from November 3.

[Stuge]

Only thing I liked about this guy is his fielding. his knock against pakistan ,when India was 1-2 behind in the series , and another one was against England(natwest)

[WC2011INDIA]

Only thing I liked about this guy is his fielding. his knock against pakistan ,when India was 1-2 behind in the series , and another one was against England(natwest)

Should have given him more chances. But oh well.

[Sachin=GOD]

He was a very good captain who transformed an average UP Ranji Team into a side that won the Trophy for the 1st time in its history under him. In six seasons under him the team reached 3 Finals and 1 semi finals along with the Final of the Domestic One Day tournament - considering the fact that UP had reached only 2 Finals in its entire history before Kaif was Captain, this was a remarkable achievement :hatsoff:

[Crookbond]

If only he could perform better with the bat. He was also handled badly especially in Zimbabwe.

[Sidhoni]

Never knew why was Kaif constantly ignored?

[gakgupta]

what's the point of having these domestic games without having sense. Overall time for Ranji matches should increase and more time should be given between matches. Anyways, things wouldn't change until we face few more disastrous tours like England.

[Sachin=GOD]

Never knew why was Kaif constantly ignored?

actually he wasn't the most talented player around yet he made full use of whatever opportunities he got in ODIs. In Test matches, apart from the 4 tests he played in 2000-01, most of the time he got an opportunity only if someone from Dravid/Goddy/Ganguly/Laxamn etc were injured or not playing for any reason and even if he did play well he had to make way for them once they were back in the team. The only time a spot opened up in the batting order was after Ganguly retired and in that Domestic season Kaif had performed well but Yuvraj was performing very well in ODIs and therefore got more opportunities. After that Kaif's form dipped considerably and he never got an opportunity again.

[Sidhoni]

^I kinda know why he didn't play too much tests, but will u plz enlighten me on why he didn't play in ODI's?

[Sachin=GOD]

^I kinda know why he didn't play too much tests' date=' but will u plz enlighten me on why he didn't play in ODI's?[/quote'] At the time Kaif played most of his ODIs, India didn't have so many options for each position as we have now and therefore Kaif (who is not very talented but was a very hard worker) got to play 125 matches. At that time the other options were the likes of Badani, Dinesh Mongia etc and Kaif was certainly better than them and ergo he got quite a few chances when today a player like him might have been discarded after a few matches. Then around 2005/06 players like Raina, Utthappa, Dinesh Kartikh, Irfan Pathan etc emerged and therefore Kaif was sidelined and then after that the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kohli, Yusuf Pathan etc came so whatever little chance Kaif may have had around 2008/09 also disappeared.

[Sidhoni]

But in 2005, Raina, Uthappa etc, were not permanent members of the team.

[Sachin=GOD]

^Kaif played 20 odd ODIs in both 2005 and 2006. By that time Raina had become a permanent of the team.

[Sidhoni]

Raina was not part of the team in 2007, he became permanent only after IPL-08

[gaurav92]

^No. It was only after Asia Cup 08 :hitler: IPL = Tamasha not Cricket :beee:

[Sir john]

hope this time one of my supported team win ranji trophy.

[rkt.india]

^No. It was only after Asia Cup 08 :hitler: IPL = Tamasha not Cricket :beee:

Asia cup 2008 was played after IPL. and Raina was selected on the basis of his performance in IPL.

[saneindian]

Asia cup 2008 was played after IPL. and Raina was selected on the basis of his performance in IPL.

Raina was a part of the team in the CB series as well, the last ODI tornament played before the IPL in 2008. Was named in the CB series squad after a great Challenger Trophy and a very good season in Ranji trophy where his scores included a douuble hundred and a 100 before the team was announced.

[gaurav92]

Yup SI is right, but Raina's career took off after the Asia cup where he made some good contributions coming in at No.3 :nice:

[rkt.india]

Raina was a part of the team in the CB series as well' date=' the last ODI tornament played before the IPL in 2008. Was named in the CB series squad after a great Challenger Trophy and a very good season in Ranji trophy where his scores included a douuble hundred and a 100 before the team was announced.[/quote'] But did not play even one game in CB series which means they were still not confident enough even Manoj Tiwary played ahead of him who was a replacement, but performance in IPL instilled the confidence in him and as well as in the team management. He derived the fearless approach in his batting in that IPL. It was not the domestic season nor the CB series which gave him confident to back himself and aggressively, it was basically IPL who actually revived his batting in shorter forms of the game. He had good Ranji, but there were still players who had better records than him and don't mix shorter formats to longer version.

[gaurav92]

But did not play even one game in CB series which means they were still not confident enough but performance in IPL instilled the confidence in him and as well as in the team management. He derived the fearless approach in his batting in that IPL.

Thats coz he was very susceptible to short pitch stuff which hasn't changed much. I think at that time he was worse playing the short ball, and imagine him struggling against Johnson, Lee in full tilt