Rest Abhishek Sharma for T20 World Cup Final, Bring in Rinku Singh: Mohammad Kaif

With India's T20 World Cup final against New Zealand just days away, former India batter Mohammad Kaif has called on the team management to make a bold selection decision — dropping out-of-form opener Abhishek Sharma and bringing in Rinku Singh for the high-stakes title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

The numbers tell a difficult story. Abhishek has crossed the 50-run mark only once in the tournament, has fallen to spin bowling on four occasions — often while attempting to attack from the first ball — and has consistently failed to either rotate the strike or allow himself time to settle. Opposition teams have identified and ruthlessly targeted his vulnerability to spinners in the powerplay, turning it into a strategic template against India.

His struggles have not been confined to batting alone. Two dropped catches in the Super 8s encounter against the West Indies added to the pressure on a player who arrived at the tournament already compromised — Abhishek had been hospitalised with a stomach infection just before the competition, suffering noticeable weight loss that appears to have impacted both his bat swing and his confidence.

Kaif made his argument plainly and directly on his YouTube channel. "India can give Abhishek Sharma a break. He has played many matches now. There is no harm in making changes," he said, drawing a parallel with the way the West Indies managed Brandon King's form slump by eventually resting him for a big game.

He pointed to Rinku Singh's cross-format consistency as the compelling case for inclusion. "Rinku Singh scores runs everywhere — be it Tests, Ranji Trophy, or the IPL. When you look in the dugout to see who can replace Abhishek Sharma, you see Rinku Singh sitting there. So, bring him in. A guy is struggling, and another guy is sitting outside despite doing well."

Kaif also highlighted the already-successful precedent set within this very tournament. Sanju Samson was reintroduced into the playing XI amid Abhishek's inconsistency — and responded with Player of the Match performances against both the West Indies and England. For Kaif, that decision validated the principle of backing form over sentiment. "Like you brought in Sanju, and he did a great job, so that change worked in your favour," he observed.

Kaif drew a clear distinction between the two openers that goes beyond current form. "The biggest difference between Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson is that Abhishek is still quite new to ICC events. Sanju has scored over 8,000 runs in T20s. He is already an established player — an already finished product. Abhishek is still young and has to work on his game."

The final decision rests with head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav. But with a World Cup title on the line, the pressure to act on Kaif's logic — and the evidence of the tournament itself — will be difficult to ignore.