Tilak Varma may have earned one of the biggest promotions of his career, but the former India batsman Mohammad Kaif The youngster is reminded that there are no guarantees in the appointment of vice-captain in the current Indian squad.The 23-year-old left-hander was recently appointed as India’s new T20I vice-captain after a major leadership reshuffle despite the team winning the T20 World Cup earlier this year. In a major change, Suryakumar Yadav Stripped of captaincy and excluded from the team Shreyas Iyer Responsible. Axar Patel, who had been the vice-captain, also lost the position as the selectors switched to Tilak.While the appointment underlines the confidence the team management has in Tilak, Kraft believes the youngster cannot assume that the leadership role guarantees him a permanent place in the squad. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif noted that recent examples have proven that leadership roles provide little protection if performance declines.“Tilak Varma is vice-captain, yes. But vice-captains have been sacked before. Being vice-captain does not mean Tilak Varma’s place in the team is guaranteed. If Tilak starts thinking, ‘I am vice-captain and my position is safe’, that is not how this Indian team operates at all. If he wants to continue playing, he has to keep his position safe’, that is not how this Indian team operates at all. If he wants to continue playing, he has to keep his team even if he might get eliminated. You will remember it. He is no longer vice-captain. The team has now moved to Tilak,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.Kraft’s comments come in the context of several recent selection decisions. Shubman GillDespite serving as the vice-captain of the Indian team in multiple T20I assignments, he eventually lost his place in that tournament and missed out on the T20 World Cup squad. Akhahar has also been replaced in the leadership ranks after the latest reforms.According to Kraft, the current team management has created a culture where every player, regardless of reputation or title, must continue to deliver consistent performances to retain their spot.“So, no one’s place is guaranteed in this Indian team. Not even the captain’s place. There is no permanent vice-captain either. Everybody has to earn his place. Everybody has to perform in every game. This is a phase in Indian cricket, the likes of which we have never seen before.
