Mumbai paste Sarfaraz Khan has been left out of the Rishabh Pant-led India A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa A, a move that has reignited debates over India’s selection policy.
Sarfaraz Khan misses India A tour, set to play Ranji Trophy instead
Nearly a year after his last international appearance, Sarfaraz will now return to domestic cricket, representing Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
Once hailed as the next big thing in the Indian middle-order, Sarfaraz’s absence from the senior and India A teams has raised eyebrows. Despite strong performances in limited testing opportunities, he found himself out of the competition, hinting at a possible loss of confidence from the selectors.
Sarfaraz’s exclusion comes despite credible statistics and a visible improvement in his physical condition. In six Test matches, the 26-year-old scored 371 runs at an average of 46.37, including one century and three fifties. During the offseason, he even lost 17 pounds, addressing fitness issues that once overshadowed his form.
Since his Test debut against England in early 2024, Sarfaraz has been consistent, notching two fifties on debut and a fighting century against New Zealand later that year. However, after a few lean games, he was benched for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia – and has not been selected since.
Now, with Pant captaining India A, Sarfaraz’s omission feels like an unspoken signal. Reports suggest that he has been advised to bat at number three for Mumbai in domestic cricket – the only position still uncertain in India’s current Test schedule.
Ravichandran Ashwin criticizes lack of communication in selection policy
Veteran Ravichandran Ashwin expressed concern over Sarfaraz’s exclusion, calling it a symptom of inconsistent communication between the selectors and players. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said the situation reflected the past experiences of players like Subramaniam Badrinath And Manoj Tiwarywho were at least informed of the reasons for the selection.
“The problem is that your communication and your selection must match” » remarked Ashwin. “Back then, selectors made it clear to players like Badrinath and Tiwary that they were being sidelined to make way for new faces but could always be considered for India later. That honesty mattered.”
In Sarfaraz’s case, however, Ashwin believes that such transparency is lacking. “If the message is that we have seen enough of Sarfaraz, that is unfair. You have chosen Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has already played enough for India A. The other names are futuristic – Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar – but what about Sarfaraz’s current form?” » he questioned.
Ashwin also sympathized with Sarfaraz’s frustration, pointing out that his hard work – from losing weight to scoring consistently – has not been rewarded.
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“He did everything that was asked of him: improving his fitness, scoring runs, hitting a century in his last Test series. Yet he was not picked. This leads me to believe that someone has decided not to watch him anymore,” » said Ashwin.
The former Indian star warned that such treatment could trap Sarfaraz in a label: “Now if he does well in first-class cricket, they will say he is only good for that level. So where does he go to prove himself?”
With his omission from India A, Sarfaraz’s focus now shifts to the Ranji Trophy, where he will look to let his bat do the talking once again. For a player who has repeatedly proven his class in domestic cricket, this latest snub adds another chapter to the ongoing debate over India’s opaque selection system – a system where performance and potential don’t always seem to align.
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