"Wrong Decision": Mohammad Kaif Tears Into Ajit Agarkar Over Another Selection Call

The reactions to India's ODI squad for the Australia series continue to come, with a number of decisions triggering debates on social media. Mohammad Kaif, a former India batter, struggled to comprehend the rationale behind the selection of Dhruv Jurel over Sanju Samson, despite the undeniable talent the latter has. Kaif, sharing his unfiltered opinion on the squad selection, criticised the selection committee for leaving out Samson. Kaif openly termed Ajit Agarkar and his committee's decision as the 'wrong' one.

"I feel that Dhruv Jurel played really well when he scored that century (against WI). He looked very compact and organised, and he is definitely the future of Indian cricket. He has that ability to score in every match. But leaving out Sanju Samson was a wrong decision because Sanju usually plays in the lower order, around number five or six, and for that position, he is a much better option than Jurel," Kaif said in a video.

“Selectors got it wrong. Sanju Samson doesn't bat up the order in ODIs he has batted down the order. Proven six-hitter, great vs spin, among IPL's top six hitters, better than Jurel. In Australia, he'd have taken on Zampa easily.”
— Mohammad Kaif via YT

Shame on @imAagarkar pic.twitter.com/XdYZ4h06Z6

— Anurag (@Samsoncentral) October 9, 2025

Samson's game against spinners makes him a valuable member of the team in the middle order when it comes to ODIs. Kaif, hence, feels the Kerala batter would have added more value to the team than Jurel at the No. 5 or No. 6 spot in the team.

"At that spot, you need someone who can hit sixes, especially against spinners. We saw Sanju Samson's strength in the Asia Cup. If he had gone to Australia, he would have hit Adam Zampa for maximums. He's in the top 10 for most sixes in the IPL, and he fits perfectly at number five or six in Australian conditions," Kaif added.

"Right now, we tend to focus only on current form, like how well Jurel played recently, and in doing so, we forget players like Sanju who have been performing consistently and are deserving," he said.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Sanju Samson Dhruv Jurel Ajit Agarkar Mohammad Kaif Cricket