Sarfaraz Khan, one of India’s most prolific domestic batters, has built a reputation for his consistency and hunger for runs. Known for his aggressive yet composed batting style, the Mumbai cricketer has been a dominant force in first-class cricket. Despite his performances, national selection has often eluded him, leaving fans and followers wondering when his turn will truly come.
The last time Sarfaraz represented India A, he made a solid 92 against England Lions in Canterbury. However, during the recent series against Australia A, he was still recovering from an injury at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. When the national selection committee announced the squad for two upcoming first-class matches against South Africa A, Sarfaraz, who has turned 28 on Wednesday, found himself left out of both teams captained by Rishabh Pant.
For Sarfaraz, who has visibly transformed himself by shedding weight and improving his fitness, the omission was disappointing. Yet, from the perspective of chief selector Ajit Agarkar and the team management, the decision might not be as controversial as social media discussions suggest. Rishabh Pant, returning to competitive cricket, is expected to bat at No. 5 which is his usual position in the Indian Test side, leaving little room in the middle order for a player like Sarfaraz.
The selectors are believed to think that Sarfaraz’s best chance to break into the national team is by adapting to a position where there is still uncertainty. That spot is No. 3, where young left-hander B Sai Sudharsan is currently being tried. Sudharsan, who will also serve as Pant’s deputy for the India A games, is seen as a strong contender for the position and is being given the opportunity to establish himself there.
According to those close to the selection process, Sarfaraz has been advised by a former selector to consider working with the Mumbai team management and senior player Ajinkya Rahane to experiment with batting higher up the order. The thinking is that if he continues to play at No. 5 or 6, where India already have several all-round options like Pant, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Reddy, it will be harder for him to break through. Even when Rishabh Pant is unavailable, Dhruv Jurel is expected to take over that middle-order spot.
Part of Sarfaraz’s current challenge also stems from his recent performances. His four consecutive failures against New Zealand A on turning tracks have pushed him down the pecking order. With India’s top order positions 1, 2, and 4 already well-settled and the lower middle order filled with multi-skilled players, the only realistic opening for a pure batter is at No. 3. For Sarfaraz, this could be the moment to take a bold step, move up the order and adapt to the demands of facing the new ball.
Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been chosen ahead of him for the South Africa A series. Patidar, who struggled during his Test stint against England earlier this year, has found tremendous form recently, scoring three centuries including a double hundred and three fifties in his last eight innings across five first-class matches. His recent scores of 125, 66, 77, 101, 13, 66, 10, and an unbeaten 205 highlight his consistency. Gaikwad has also been in fine touch, with innings of 184, 91, and 50 in his last three first-class appearances.
Ultimately, selection is about more than just domestic scores. It reflects the selectors’ belief in who can handle the pressures of international cricket. Under Ajit Agarkar, the selection panel seems to view Patidar and Gaikwad as more ready for the next level at this stage. For Sarfaraz, the message is clear, keep scoring, keep improving and perhaps most importantly, embrace the challenge of a new batting role. The door to the national team isn’t closed, but it might require him to take a different path to finally walk through it.
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