Social media erupted with frustration and disbelief following the exclusion of 28-year-old Sarfaraz Khan from the India A squads. After consistent high-scoring performances in domestic cricket and a dedicated effort to improve his fitness by shedding significant weight, many fans and experts are asking what more the talented batter needs to do to earn a national call-up.
The national selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, announced the Indian squad for two first-class games against South Africa A. To widespread astonishment, Sarfaraz Khan, who celebrates his 28th birthday shortly after the announcement, was conspicuously absent from both teams, despite his exceptional form.
Sarfaraz boasts an enviable first-class average of 65.19 across 56 matches. Over the past five years, his performance has been nothing short of astounding, accumulating 2,467 runs with 10 centuries and five half-centuries, at an average of 117.47. His recent efforts included shedding 17 kg to meet fitness benchmarks and scoring crucial runs against England (50 in three Tests) and New Zealand (150 in the first Bengaluru Test) during the 2024-25 home season. Yet, he hasn’t featured in a single Test since being overlooked for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Adding to his recent form, after recovering from a quadriceps injury that sidelined him from the Duleep Trophy and Irani Cup, the Mumbai cricketer showed immediate rhythm, scoring 42 and 32 in his comeback innings against Jammu & Kashmir.
Former India cricketer R Ashwin did not hold back his criticism, vehemently blasting the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel for their decision to ignore Sarfaraz Khan.
“When I examine Sarfaraz’s non-selection, I don’t receive any explanation. I am very sad and feel sorry for him. Had I been the selector, what would I have called him up and said?” Ashwin questioned on his YouTube channel.
He continued, “He has reduced his weight, and he has been scoring runs; he also scored a century in his last Test series. And this sort of non-selection leads me to think that someone must have been thinking that we have seen enough of him, and we no longer want him, so we don’t want to go in that direction.”
Expressing the grim reality, Ashwin added, “If I were Sarfaraz Khan, that is what I would be thinking. He has been dropped from the India A side. It’s literally like the door has been shut. Where will he perform? Now, if he performs well in first-class cricket, they will say he is very good only for first-class cricket. So he won’t get picked for India A now. Where will he go and prove his credentials? Where will he show that he has improved? So, such non-selection feels like someone’s decision, whether from the management side or the selection side, that we are no longer looking at him.”