Sarfaraz Khan’s path towards a potential Test comeback was set. The batter from Mumbai had taken rejection well. Warming the bench throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy wouldn’t have been easy. Then, a rib injury sidelined him, due to which he couldn’t play the second leg of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy.
Things went back on track as Sarfaraz was included for India A’s tour of England. But he didn’t make the final Test squad. All of this could have been disappointing. Surely, he was dejected. But the 27-year-old took it on the chin. Instead of cursing his poor luck, Sarfaraz tried to improve himself.
Injury betrays Sarfaraz Khan
During the England tour, the batter worked on his fitness. It was something he was criticised for. His heavy build wasn’t fit for international cricket, some said. So, Sarfaraz reduced his weight by a whopping 17 kg. His bat started doing the talking as well. He scored back-to-back hundreds for Mumbai in the Buchi Babu Tournament.
Sarfaraz was selected for the West Zone in the Duleep Trophy and was all set to play against the Central Zone. But a quadriceps injury didn’t allow him to do so. It was reported that the 27-year-old had injured himself during the Buchi Babu Tournament and was sidelined for around 3 weeks.
He was expected to report to the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for the Duleep Trophy but has instead checked in to start his rehabilitation.
Missed out on India A berth
Earlier today, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the upcoming India A vs Australia A series. While Shreyas Iyer, Sai Sudharsan, and Abhimanyu Easwaran feature in the 15-member team, Sarfaraz’s name wasn’t to be found.
At this point, we aren’t uncertain why he hasn’t been selected. Most likely, it’s because of his injury and ongoing rehabilitation. But the exclusion could have bigger ramifications. You see, the number three and six spots in India’s Test team are somewhat up for grabs.
Sudharsan and Karun Nair didn’t ace the test on the England tour. Both averaged under 26. Sarfaraz, given his prowess against spin, was one of the best candidates for the position. Not to forget, he’d played a 150-run knock in the last home Test series against New Zealand.
IND vs WI Tests out of reach?
Even if both Sudharsan and Nair were selected for the India vs West Indies Test series, Sarfaraz could have easily been one of the backup batters. But now that’s looking tough. Shreyas, Dhruv Jurel, and Devdutt Padikkal will all vie for a spot by performing in the India A series.
Barring Jurel, who’s out injured, Shreyas and Padikkal have also been playing in the Duleep Trophy. And then there’s Sarfaraz, who hasn’t played a competitive match since May. It’s hard to imagine how BCCI can pick him for the India vs West Indies Test series over all of those mentioned above when he hasn’t played any cricket recently.
Of course, that is assuming that he’ll be fit for the series. The road to a Test comeback was already tough for Sarfaraz, but at this point, it seems like he’ll have to start all over again. The domestic great will have to toil hard again and prove his worth. It won’t be easy but I guess that’s been the story of Sarfaraz’s whole career.
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