Multiple captain theory is interesting, says Mohammed Kaif

India discard Mohammed Kaif has sounded cautious about the much-debated multiple-captaincy theory for IPL T20 second edition proposed by John Buchanan, saying it looked “interesting”.
“I don’t want to say much on it except that it looks interesting as things happen quickly in the shortest format of the game. Not a bad theory, but we have to wait and see how it goes,” Kaif said last night before departing with his Rajasthan Royals teammates for South Africa.
Former Australia coach Buchanan, who is managing another IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has suggested that he wanted to experiment with this novel concept of multiple captains during the tournament which has been opposed by his team member and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly and another ex-captain Sunil Gavaskar.
KKR’s owner Shah Rukh Khan had said a few days ago that there was nothing wrong in trying out the new concept as the T20 format was in its infancy and the team did not do well while playing in the traditional way vis-a-vis captaincy, with Ganguly being its sole captain and icon player in 2008.
Kaif and other Indian players of Rajasthan Royals, which won the title under captain-coach Shane Warne in the first edition of the cash-rich event, were busy yesterday in promotional events prior to leaving for SA.
The 28-year-old Allahabad-born middle order batsman Kaif, who had lead India to U-19 World Cup win, sounded upbeat about the team’s chances of retaining the title in South Africa though the conditions are different from India.
“It’s a fresh start. Last year we had the bowlers to suit Indian conditions. This time it will be different altogether. We have 10 days to adjust to the bounce in the wickets and are playing two practice games too. It should be enough,” said the skipper of the UP Ranji Trophy team.
Kaif, whose last appearance for India was incidentally in an ODI in South Africa in November 2006, said the fact that RR had won the title last year would stand them in good stead, but the key was in new faces being introduced.
“We have the confidence and the fact that won it will help us. In this format new faces who not many know and play well would hold the key.”
Pacer Sidharth Trivedi said spin legend Warne, whose leadership qualities came to the fore in full force in IPL last year, would definitely not be repeating the same things he had done while guiding the team to the crown when the second season unfolds in South Africa on April 18.
“Warne will definitely bring something new (to the table) as captain. He is a player who doesn’t believe in doing the same things again,” said the lanky Ahmedabad bowler who is striving hard to make it to the Indian squad.
Trivedi said the IPL would be the ideal chance for players like him to force their way into the India T20 World Cup squad as the tournament started immediately after the end of the BCCI-backed League.
“I see it as a challenge and like challenges. If I perform well I am sure to be included in the T20 World Cup team. I want to prove myself,” he said.
The T20 World Cup, in which India are the defending champions, is commencing in England on June 5 while the IPL ends on May 24.