'Sehwag, Kaif should be asked to quit'

Retaining out-of-form players will affect the balance of the team, says former Indian captain Kapil Dev.

Former captain Kapil Dev has suggested that out-of-form opener Virender Sehwag and Mohammad Kaif should be asked to quit the Indian team and play domestic cricket to regain their touch.

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"Whether it's Mohammad Kaif or Virender Sehwag or any other player, if they are not in form, they should be asked to leave the team," Kapil said on Monday.

"Cricketers whose performance is not satisfactory should be advised to leave the team and asked to play in domestic matches and when they improve their performance, be taken back in the Indian team," he added.

Kapil said players, who were doing well, should be given a place in the team as retaining poor performing players would affect the balance of the team.

Praising former captain Sourav Ganguly, Kapil said he should be taken back in the team if he continued to perform well in domestic matches.

He hoped that Sachin Tendulkar would be able to perform well after undergoing a shoulder surgery in London but suspected that age might come in his way.

"Let us see the team's performance in the matches ahead," he said.

While welcoming the BCCI decision of giving pension to former cricketers, Kapil said that veteran cricketers should benefit from it.