Kaif Slams India's Colombo Test Intensity, Says Kohli Would Have Made a Difference
· Sports · Times of India, Indian Express
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has criticised India's lack of intensity on the final day of the Colombo Test against Sri Lanka, arguing that Virat Kohli's presence would have changed the result. India, needing four wickets on the last day with Sri Lanka six down, managed only two more dismissals as Sonal Dinusha scored an unbeaten 133 to secure a draw. The result left India with a 1-0 series victory instead of a 2-0 sweep, dropping them to fifth in the World Test Championship standings with seven Tests remaining and little room for error. India now need to win at least six of those seven matches to keep WTC Final qualification hopes alive, with Australia among the remaining opponents. Kaif said India took things for granted by waiting for spinners to produce wickets rather than manufacturing pressure.
Why it matters
The drawn Test has tightened India's path to the WTC Final significantly, requiring near-perfect results in their remaining seven matches, including a tough Australia assignment, while raising fresh questions about the team's fielding intensity and leadership culture without Kohli in the XI.
Read the original report — Times of India
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