In a recent Ranji Trophy clash against Chhattisgarh, Sarfaraz Khan, a consistent and celebrated performer in domestic red-ball cricket, faced a rare setback, managing only a single run. This disappointing outing came shortly after the 26-year-old middle-order batter was notably excluded from the India A squad set to play against South Africa A, a decision that sparked considerable surprise and widespread debate among fans and pundits.
The match, played on a seamer-friendly pitch at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, saw Sarfaraz dismissed by Chhattisgarh’s left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate after facing just six deliveries.
Following his dismissal, Sarfaraz conveyed his feelings through an Instagram Stories post. The image showed his television screen playing the song ‘Restart’ from the movie ’12th Fail’, with his India Test cap and Mumbai cap prominently displayed behind it. This subtle gesture spoke volumes about his aspirations and determination, especially after being overlooked for national duties. He had recently been overlooked for the India A squad against South Africa A, prompting surprise and debate.
This recent performance followed a more positive return from injury in his previous Ranji outing against Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar, where he scored 42 and 32.
Mumbai’s captain, Shardul Thakur, fiercely defended Khan’s international prospects, downplaying the significance of his India A omission. “Nowadays, for the India A side, they look at boys whom they want to prepare for international cricket. Sarfaraz doesn’t need India A games to play international cricket. If he gets back to scoring again, he can straightaway go and play Test series too,” Thakur stated, highlighting Khan’s proven track record.
Thakur elaborated on Khan’s journey back from injury: “He is coming from an injury lay-off. But before that, he scored two or three centuries in the Buchi Babu Trophy. Coming back against J&K, he had a nice 40 (42). It was very unfortunate to have been run out. But for him, I don’t think playing India A is important. He is a senior pro, and whenever we put him in the 22 yards, he is someone who always delivers in crunch situations.”
Further praising Sarfaraz’s composure under pressure, Thakur added, “He has big scores of 200-250s, and those innings have come when the team was two or three down quite early. To play that kind of innings under pressure, you have to have something special. He is one of the special players who never disappoints. Regardless of which number he bats, I think he will deliver.”