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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Friday, announced the squad for the upcoming home Test series against Australia. The apex board named the squad for the first two matches of the four-Tests Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India’s latest batting sensation Suryakumar Yadav and explosive wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan both got the Test call-ups. However, Sarfaraz Khan, who has been performing extraordinarily well in the domestic circuit, was ignored again.
Notably, Sarfaraz is a prolific run-scorer in India’s domestic cricket and has been banging on the selection doors for quite some time. In the 2021-22 edition of the Ranji Trophy, the right-handed batter amassed a jaw-dropping 982 runs at an outstanding average of 122.75 with four centuries, two fifties and a top score of 275.
Even in the ongoing edition of the prestigious tournament, Sarfaraz has scored 431 runs at an impressive average of 107.75 and a strike-rate of 70.54 with the help of two hundreds, and one half-century.
Since his debut in 2014, Sarfaraz has notched 3380 runs in 36 first-class matches at an average of 80.47, including 12 tons and nine fifties. Despite all the impressive numbers, the 25-year-old was not picked for the Test squad, which angered the fans on social media. From experts to regular followers of Indian cricket, everyone expressed their disappointment at BCCI selectors for ignoring Sarfaraz.
Famous broadcaster and popularly known as the voice of Indian cricket, Harsha Bhogle, reckoned Sarfaraz has done everything to get picked by the selectors.
“Very hard on Sarfaraz Khan who has literally broken the door down in first class cricket. You can’t do more than he has,” tweeted Bhogle.
Very hard on Sarfaraz Khan who has literally broken the door down in first class cricket. You can’t do more than he has.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 13, 2023
Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh said he couldn’t understand what else should Sarfaraz do to get picked in the red-ball squad of the national team.
“Spare a thought for Sarfaraz khan. I don’t understand what else he needs to do to get into the test team,” wrote Ganesh on Twitter.
Spare a thought for Sarfaraz khan. I don’t understand what else he needs to do to get into the test team #DoddaMathu #CricketTwitter #INDvAUS
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) January 13, 2023
Here is how netizens reacted:
If Surya Kumar Yadav can get picked to the Indian Test squad based on his recent T20I performances, then WHY not Sarfaraz Khan on his recent first-class performances in domestic games?
2019/20: 928 @ 154.66
2021/22: 982 @ 122.75
2022/23: 801* @ 89.00#INDvsAUS#INDvAUS— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 14, 2023
There was a bit of an opening in the Test squad…was hoping that Sarfaraz will make it to the squad. He’s done everything that one could do to deserve a call-up. #IndvAus
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 13, 2023
Surya Kumar Yadav is selected for the test team purely on his T20I stats while proved red ball performer Sarfaraz Khan is still waiting on the wings! Nicely architected selection policy @BCCI #sarfarazkhan #SuryakumarYadav
— Suraj Pandey (@ferrarinotfiat) January 14, 2023
As much as I love Suryakumar Yadav, his selection in the Test squad over Sarfaraz Khan leaves a sour taste. Make no mistake, Surya in whites is a super batter but Sarfaraz with that sort of record in Ranji Trophy deserved a call-up. #INDvAUS
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) January 13, 2023
My heart goes out for Sarfaraz Khan. It will be long night for him. He is so close and yet so far. Happy for Shaw and SKY.
— Devendra Pandey (@pdevendra) January 13, 2023
Sarfaraz Khan must be devasted! When will he get rewarded for his performances? A player who’s scoring tons every now and then and still doesn’t get picked while almost everyone else finds a place is something really tough to take!
— Mohsin Kamal (@64MohsinKamal) January 13, 2023
On the one hand Mr. Roger Binny says Ranji performance will be the only criteria for selection and on the hand @chetans1987 and his cohort keeps on ignoring Sarfaraz Khan. Shame! Give the lad a chance for God’s sake. @BCCI @BCCIdomestic @bhogleharsha pic.twitter.com/7BtiT9BpGO
— Mohammad Anzar Nayeemi (@AnzarNayeemiRJD) January 14, 2023
Look at it this way. More than Pant the keeper, you will miss Pant the batter. Sarfaraz is an accumulator. Surya or Ishan can take the game away in one session. U had to take that chance. https://t.co/6h475mLESp
— Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) January 13, 2023
How better should a player like #SarfarazKhan perform to ‘catch the eyeballs’ of the national selectors ? pic.twitter.com/C9DX5DvW0b
— Shubhankar Mishra (@shubhankrmishra) January 14, 2023
Sarfaraz Khan in Ranji trophy since 2019:
71*, 36, 301*, 226*, 25, 78, 177, 6, 275, 63, 48, 165, 153, 40, 59*, 134, 45, 5, 126*, 75, 20, 162
•Innings – 22
•Runs – 2289
•Average – 134.64
•100s/50s – 9/5
•200s/300s – 3/1 pic.twitter.com/8Xi87El6B0— Aniket Anjan 🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@AnjanAniket) January 13, 2023
Sure, Sarfaraz Khan must feel hard done by. It’s hard to ignore Suryakumar Yadav, who’s at the peak of his powers though. Showed glimpses in the recent Ranji Trophy games too, however small the sample size. Down to Sarfaraz’s consistency vs SKY’s belligerence perhaps. #INDvAUS
— S. Sudarshanan (@Sudarshanan7) January 13, 2023
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