The exclusion of Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan from the India A squad for the upcoming series against South Africa A has ignited a fresh wave of disappointment and criticism from cricket fans and pundits alike. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the two four-day matches against the touring South Africa A side, with Rishabh Pant making his comeback as captain after recovering from a toe injury. Sai Sudharsan will serve as his deputy. While the squad features a blend of experienced Test players and promising all-rounders, the conspicuous absence of Sarfaraz Khan has sparked outrage and raised questions about the selection criteria.
Sarfaraz Khan has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket for several years, amassing impressive statistics in first-class cricket. In 56 first-class matches, the 27-year-old has scored 4,791 runs at an average of 65.19, including 16 centuries and 15 fifties. Despite these remarkable numbers, he has often been overlooked by the national selectors.
In his most recent outings, Sarfaraz scored 92 against England Lions and 74 runs across two innings in Mumbai's first Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. Earlier in the season, he had also scored a century in the Buchi Babu Trophy before a quadriceps injury sidelined him from the Duleep Trophy. Although the injury prevented him from being selected for the West Indies Test series, he has since recovered and returned to full domestic action.
This isn't the first time Sarfaraz has faced selection setbacks. He was previously dropped from the Indian Test side after a series against New Zealand. Despite a brilliant 150 in the opening Test in Bengaluru, he struggled in the remainder of the series, leading to his omission from the team.
The exclusion has triggered a social media storm, with fans and cricket enthusiasts expressing their disappointment and questioning the selectors' decision. Many feel that Sarfaraz has done everything possible to earn a place in the national side, including improving his fitness and losing weight. Some have even gone as far as saying that his career is being destroyed by the repeated snubs.
Some reports suggest that the selection committee is prioritizing all-rounders over specialist batters. With Ravichandran Ashwin potentially nearing retirement and Ravindra Jadeja in the twilight of his career, India is seemingly trying to groom spin-bowling all-rounders for the future. The inclusion of players like Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, and Saransh Jain in the India A squad could be indicative of this strategy, potentially sidelining a pure batter like Sarfaraz.
Ajit Agarkar, chief of the national selection committee, had previously stated that a quadriceps injury was the reason for Sarfaraz's earlier omission ahead of the England tour. However, Sarfaraz has since recovered from the injury and is actively playing in the Ranji Trophy, making his recent exclusion even more perplexing.
While Sarfaraz Khan's exclusion remains a talking point, the India A squad will be looking to prepare for the upcoming Test series against South Africa. The first four-day match is scheduled to begin on October 30 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru.
