Tilak Varma may have earned one of the biggest promotions of his career, but former India batter Mohammad Kaif has reminded the youngster that the vice-captaincy comes with no guarantees in the current Indian team setup.The 23-year-old left-hander was recently appointed India’s new T20I vice-captain following a significant leadership reshuffle despite the team’s T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year. In a major change, Suryakumar Yadav was stripped of the captaincy and left out of the squad, with Shreyas Iyer taking charge. Axar Patel, who had been serving as vice-captain, also lost the role as the selectors turned to Tilak.While the appointment underlines the faith the team management has in Tilak, Kaif believes the youngster cannot afford to assume that the leadership position guarantees him a regular place in the side. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif pointed out that recent examples prove that leadership roles offer little protection if performances dip.“Tilak Varma is the vice-captain, yes. But vice-captains have been dropped before as well. Being vice-captain doesn’t mean Tilak Varma’s place in the team is guaranteed. If Tilak starts thinking, ‘I’m the vice-captain, my spot is secure,’ that’s simply not how this Indian team works. If he wants to keep playing, he’ll have to maintain his form. Even a slight dip in form could see him dropped. Axar Patel was the vice-captain before. You’d remember that. He’s no longer the vice-captain. The team has now moved on to Tilak,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.Kaif’s comments come against the backdrop of several recent selection decisions. Shubman Gill, despite serving as India’s vice-captain during multiple T20I assignments, eventually lost his place in the format and missed out on the T20 World Cup squad. Axar, too, was replaced in the leadership group after the latest overhaul.According to Kaif, the current team management has created a culture where every player, irrespective of reputation or designation, must continue delivering consistent performances to hold on to their place.“So in this Indian team, nobody’s place is guaranteed. Not even the captain’s. There’s no permanent vice-captain either. Everyone has to earn their place. Everyone has to perform in every single match. This is a phase in Indian cricket that we’ve never seen before. That’s the mindset of the coaches and selectors now. Your place in the team is on the line every single match. That’s why Tilak Varma may start with this team, but his place in the XI is by no means guaranteed going forward,” he added.
