The exclusion of Sarfaraz Khan from the Indian Test squad for the upcoming series against England has ignited a wave of criticism aimed at Gautam Gambhir and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Despite a strong domestic record and promising performances in his limited international appearances, the Mumbai batter has once again been overlooked, prompting many to question the selection process and whether he has been unfairly treated.
Sarfaraz Khan made his Test debut against England in 2024 and played six Test matches, scoring 371 runs at an average of 37.10. This included a century and three half-centuries. His most recent Test was against New Zealand in November 2024. Despite these promising statistics, he was dropped from the Test squad without playing a single game in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia.
Following the snub, Sarfaraz Khan has seemingly responded by making selectors rethink their decision with stellar performances in England. He scored 92 runs for India A against England Lions in Canterbury and followed it up with a blistering 76-ball 101 in an intra-squad game. This century included 15 fours and two sixes, demonstrating his aggressive and dominant batting style.
Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has been among the most vocal critics of Sarfaraz's exclusion. He noted that Sarfaraz "hasn't done anything wrong thus far" and questioned the logic behind not including him in the Test team. "The one match he played, he scored 90-plus runs. He couldn't score a hundred, but he scored runs. After that, you didn't play him in the next match, and he is not part of the Test team," Chopra stated on his YouTube channel. He further added, "He hasn't failed in England, Australia, and South Africa thus far, but you haven't given him a chance. It is not a good story." Chopra suggested that if the team management lacks confidence in Sarfaraz's technique, they should not even include him in the India A squad.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the communication and clarity from the team management. It has been suggested that frequent changes in the playing XI and the exclusion of players like Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma, despite decent performances, have created a perception of favoritism and uncertainty in selection processes.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, there have been reports of Gautam Gambhir accusing Sarfaraz Khan of leaking sensitive team information to a Mumbai-based journalist during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. These allegations, which surfaced after a BCCI review meeting, have further fueled the controversy surrounding Sarfaraz's exclusion. Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, reportedly defended Sarfaraz, arguing that such serious accusations should not be made without concrete evidence.
Despite the controversies and setbacks, Sarfaraz Khan continues to perform well whenever he gets the opportunity. In the Irani Cup 2024-25, he scored a century for Mumbai against Rest of India, further solidifying his reputation as a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket. With the Test series against England approaching, the pressure is mounting on the team management and the BCCI to provide a clear explanation for Sarfaraz Khan's continued exclusion and address the concerns about fairness and transparency in the selection process.
