[Exclusive] 'MS Dhoni plays slowly in beginning but wins in the end' - Mohammad Kaif details qualities finishers should possess

Mohammad Kaif is currently playing for Gujarat Greats in the ongoing Legends League Cricket (LLC) 2024. After the Shikhar Dhawan-led sid defeated Toyam Hyderabad in match No. 3 on Sunday, September 22, at the Barkatullah Khan Stadium in Jodhpur, Kaif praised Morne van Wyk for his match-winning ton.

Chasing a target of 173, van Wyk smashed an unbeaten 115 off 69 balls, hitting eight fours and nine sixes to give the Greats a comfortable eight-wicket win with three balls to spare. Kaif noted that van Wyk kept wickets for 20 overs in the first innings in hot and humid conditions before scoring his blistering century.

"I think the way van Wyk played was amazing to watch. Tough pitch. It's a day game. He kept for 20 overs, then went on to open the innings and finish the game off. So I've not seen a much better innings so far in LLC," Kaif told CricTracker after the match.

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Kaif was asked about the impact of fielding coach T Dilip on the Indian team. The former India cricketer applauded the work being done by Dilip as he recalled the sensational catch taken by Suryakumar Yadav in the last over of the T20 World Cup final to dismiss David Miller. 

"He [T Dilip] has been doing some great work. He has quite a significant role because you see the catch which Suryakumar Yadav took in the T20 World Cup. It was the turning point. Well done to Indian team," Kaif opined.

Kaif was also asked whether he has ambitions of joining any particular IPL team as their fielding coach. However, the 43-year-old said that he is enjoying his commentary stints at this point but didn't rule out the possibility of taking up a coaching role in the future.

"I don't know. I'm doing some commentary work and I don't get much time. Coaching is a full-time commitment. You have to stay away from home a lot. Now, coaches have to stay in the ground on a daily basis. I was in the IPL for three years with Delhi Capitals. Let's see when time comes," he said.

Kaif picks Jadeja, Pant as India's best fielders

Kaif was asked to name two of the best fielders in world cricket according to him. He preferred to pick two Indians - Jadeja and Rishabh Pant. Kaif said that Jadeja has gotten better with age, while he hasn't seen Pant miss too many catches behind the stumps.

"India are the world champions. Let's talk about India. Ravindra Jadeja is evergreen. Because he is becoming a better fielder with age. As you grow older, you tend to get slower but Jadeja is a prime example of someone who emphasises his fitness and keeps at it. His fielding has gotten better with age. I would also talk about Rishabh Pant as a wicketkeeper. I haven't seen him dropping catches. Rishabh Pant and Jadeja (are the best fielders at the moment)," Kaif said.

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The Allahabad-born also picked Suryakumar and Hardik Pandya as two of the best finishers in the Indian team. He also said that Rinku Singh is going to be a great finisher for India in the future.

"I think in T20, it is Suryakumar Yadav. He is always there for Indian team. Whenever the team is in a tough situation, he goes and wins the game for India. Hardik Pandya is doing well. I saw in the World Cup, the way he played some cameos, very useful cameos. Also, Rinku Singh, whenever he has got opportunities, he has done well. There are no questions on whether he is ready, he needs time. He is ready and whenever he will get a chance, he will do well. I believe Rinku Singh is a also player for the future and will be a finisher in the future for Team India," Kaif stated.

Kaif was also asked about the qualities which are necessary for finishers to possess. He gave the example of MS Dhoni to explain.

"Everything is seeing the situation, calculation. Skill will come later. Of course, you have to hit boundaries or sixes whatever and take singles with soft hands. That is skill part. But reading the situation and planning your game accordingly. You have seen Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he plays slowly in the beginning a lot of times but finishes matches by hitting sixes towards the backend. He picks bowlers to target. These are some ploys to bring into your game. The best finishers play this role very well - take singles, play dots as well, hit sixes to cover them up. They know which bowler to score 20 runs (in an over) off. These are the roles of a finisher," Kaif ended.