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[VIDEOS] Sarfaraz Khan - Another batting talent from India

It is probably because his ceiling as a batsman is high technique wise. In 2021 England tours, multiple injuries gave KL a chance to make a comeback in Test cricket and he responded well with a high quality 80 odd in bowling friendly conditions in 1st test. He displayed great exhibition of playing swing bowling in that game.

Next test was in Lords where the conditions were comparatively better for batting and he got a hundred there. Rohit also got 80 odd and India got a pretty strong start. That basically strengthened his place in Indian team at top order. Then in South Africa, again KL Rahul scored a hundred in the first test. In that series if you remember, only KL and Pant got a hundred from Indian side in the whole series.

That's two series where KL performed well and those were tough conditions. Mayank failed in that series. Now because he got runs in England and South Africa, he is getting another long run. He failed in BD and he missed the home series vs SL where he could have cashed in some runs. But because even in home conditions, he had produced a series like in Australia few years back, so he is persisted.

KL Rahul has a ceiling of being able to perform in testing conditions. This is not really something that everyone else can do.

Very good post. Your analysis as always are spot on and you are probably the most knowledgeable Indian poster on this forum.
 
An absolute superstar in the Indian domestic spectrum, Sarfaraz Khan smashed yet another Ranji Trophy hundred as he came out to bat for Mumbai against Delhi. Despite being denied an opportunity to represent India in Test cricket, Sarfaraz continues to keep his chin up and work towards making becoming a capped international. However, seeing Sarfaraz reach the triple-digit score again, former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad took to Twitter and slammed selectors for overlooking the middle-order batter despite his consistent performances in First-Class cricket.

One of the biggest talking regarding Sarfaraz's non-selection has been his body weight. However, Prasad feels the batter is absolutely 'fit' to play for India. In terms of his weight, the former pacer is of the opinion that there are others with 'more kgs'.

"Not having him in the Test Team despite 3 blockbuster domestic seasons is not only unfair on Sarfaraz Khan, but it's an abuse to domestic cricket, almost as if this platform doesn't matter. And he is FIT to score those runs. As far as body weight goes, there are many with more kgs," he tweeted.

Earlier, Sarfaraz had admitted he cried after not getting the nod for India's first two Tests against Australia.

"When the team was announced and my name wasn't there, I was sad the whole day, when we travelled from Guwahati to Delhi, I was feeling very lonely. I cried too," he was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

The cricketer then sought help from his dad. "I called my dad to Delhi. He spoke to me, I practiced with him, and then felt better," Sarfaraz revealed.

With India scheduled to take on Australia in a 4-match Test series, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squad for the remaining two matches in due time.

Having registered another hundred, Sarfaraz has further put pressure on selectors to include him in the Test team.

NDTV
 
Arguably the most in-form batter in the domestic cricket spectrum at the moment, Safaraz Khan's case has been a curious one. Despite being relentless with the bat, Sarfaraz only remains 'in the scheme of things' but still too far away from a spot in India's Test squad. When India's squad for the first two Tests against Australia was named, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav were picked but the 'run-machine' Sarfaraz was snubbed. As the Indian cricketing fraternity continues to wonder about the reason behind the batter's absence, a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selector has broken his silence on the matter.

In a with Sportstar, National selector, Sridharan Sharath touched upon the topic of Sarfaraz's absence as he was quizzed about the Indian batting unit.

Speaking of the current unit, Sharath held praise for the veterans like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara as well as the younger stars.

"Kohli is still a match-winner. Cheteshwar Pujara brings stability to batting. Rohit Sharma is an excellent leader and a fabulous bat. Shreyas Iyer has been consistent. Shubhman Gill and K.L. Rahul have the genuine ability," he said.

When asked about Sarfaraz, Sharat cited 'composition and balance' as the reason behind the young batter's exclusion.

"He is certainly on our radar. In due course, he will get his due. While picking the team, we have to consider things like composition and balance," he said.

The selection committee has only announced the squad for the first two Tests against Australia. The squad for the remaining two matches will be picked in due time. Sarfaraz might not have been picked for the first couple of games but he might get his opportunity in the remaining matches of the series.

NDTV
 
Gavaskar in particular, was a tad harsh after the BCCI selectors repeatedly ignored Sarfaraz. The former India captain had taken a dig at Chetan Sharma and backed Sarfaraz with a stern reply to those questioning his fitness. This is after Sarfaraz had slammed 556 runs in 6 matches three centuries.

"If you are looking for only slim and trim guys, then might as well go to a fashion show and find some other models and give a bat and ball in their hands and then improve them. That’s not the way cricket goes. You have cricketers in all shapes and sizes. Don't go by the size, go by the scores or wickets. He is not staying off the field when he scores a hundred. He is back on the field again. So, all that tells you is that the man is fit," Gavaskar had told India Today.

Reacting to it for the first time since January, Sarfaraz, ahead of the IPL 2023 stated that he has been putting in the extra yard as far as fitness is concerned. A normal day in Sarfaraz's life includes him batting for hours against as many as six different bowlers, indicating his fitness is right up there. In between, Sarfaraz was part of a fitness camp organised by Delhi Capitals as well where he hit the ground running.

"I just heard that a while ago. I was busy playing the Ranji Trophy so I saw it in the morning itself all that he had to say. See fitness is obviously important, and I try my best. When our last Ranji Trophy match got over, I got back home at 2AM in the night and at 5AM was back on the ground. So my ground fitness is up to the mark and when it comes to running and all, I try and get the most out of it during Ranji or IPL. DC recently conducted a fitness camp in Delhi for 14 days. Whatever we have in our hand, we do it," Sarfaraz told SportsYaari.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...o-to-fashion-show-remark-101679684493424.html
 
It hasn't been that Sarfaraz has been racking up runs of late. In 2019/20 season, he had clobbered 928 runs at a colossal average of 154. In the next season, he amassed 982 runs at 122.75 and then followed it up with 556-run season in 2022/23 where he smashed three centuries. Overall, he has managed 3505 runs in 35 appearances at an average of 79.65 with 13 tons.

Despite the mighty numbers, Sarfaraz has failed to make the final squad of the Indian Test team. It was almost a certainty that he would make the squad for the tour of Bangladesh last year, but he was kept waiting with him admitting that the selectors did have a word with him. But a similar happened in 2023 as well when he was snubbed from the Border-Gavaskar series and then the WTC final as well before incurring the same fate for the West Indies series which begins from July 12 onwards.

In response to the snub, Sarfaraz on Friday shared a video of his highlights from the last Ranji Trophy season as an Instagram story in a stern message to the selectors. There was no caption on it. Well, there was none required.
 
Indians love stylish batsman and he looks slightly ackward. He isn't going to get the chance to prove the selectors wrong and then he will get a chance when he is on the way down and probably fail and the selectors will claim they were right all along. Our Neighbours have the same sort of selectors as we have.
 
Indians love stylish batsman and he looks slightly ackward. He isn't going to get the chance to prove the selectors wrong and then he will get a chance when he is on the way down and probably fail and the selectors will claim they were right all along. Our Neighbours have the same sort of selectors as we have.

Reasons why he is still not in -

Crowded middle order . Kohli , rahane at 4 and 5 and with india going with 5 bowlers , less likely he will be picked ahead of shreyas Ayer who is reserve for 5th vs rahane .
Gill , jaiswal , Rituraj and Rohit take the top 3 spots .

With ishan kishan a left hander available at no 6 and also as a pure batsman , they seem to think he can wait till rahane /Kohli retires

Think rahane resurgence has blocked him . If rahane was out , he would get a shoe in .
 
The selecctors are very light weight. Basically failed international cricketers.

Sarfaraz isn't a IPL star. No big PR on social media. Hence despite huge Ranji numbers he isn't selected.

While Ruturaj is a CSK star and plays for Maharashtra. He has got a very good PR campaign on social media. So despite a avg FC career he gets selected.

Its evident that if you play for a big IPL team, have big PR machinery on social media, you can influence these lightweight selectors.
 
Well a batting average of 80 deserves a callup to the squad regardless of how good or stable your batting lineup is.
 
Kohli has no business playing against minnows like WI. This is the time to test players with stellar domestic performances.

Sarfraz May be fat and unfit, but he deserves a chance against minnow teams to see what he is made of. Even Rohit shouldn’t be playing against WI. But these are selfish players. They are scared of losing their place in the team if a youngster performs well.
 
Kohli has no business playing against minnows like WI. This is the time to test players with stellar domestic performances.

Sarfraz May be fat and unfit, but he deserves a chance against minnow teams to see what he is made of. Even Rohit shouldn’t be playing against WI. But these are selfish players. They are scared of losing their place in the team if a youngster performs well.

That's the only way he can score runs these days which will allow him to prolong his career.
 
Kohli has no business playing against minnows like WI. This is the time to test players with stellar domestic performances.

Sarfraz May be fat and unfit, but he deserves a chance against minnow teams to see what he is made of. Even Rohit shouldn’t be playing against WI. But these are selfish players. They are scared of losing their place in the team if a youngster performs well.

Kohli will miss an Australian or English series with the excuse of rest, but no way he will miss a game against WI. The fact that Kohli, Rahane, Pujara have been persisted for long with 3-4 years of bad performance shows that selectors don't have the courage to take tough decisions. And then you have folks like Gavaskar who 'fume' 7 times a week over some decision. For so long Rahane, Pujara and Kohli have played together is because they all protected each other by being equally bad so whenever one of them gets dropped their fans and people like Sunnybhai could start crying why not the other 2.
 
An ex-BCCI selector revealed the reason behind Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran's exclusion from the squad. He said that Sarfaraz was completely exposed against quick bowlers in the IPL, whereas Easwaran failed to score. He also commented that the number of runs does not matter; what matters is how you score them.

"Hence Sarfaraz Khan getting completely exposed against quick bowlers in IPL or Abhimanyu Easwaran not scoring for Bengal in seven consecutive Ranji knock-out games (three quarter-finals, two semi-finals and two finals) also is taken into account. It is not just about how many runs you score but also how you score them that matters," a former selector told Hindustan Times.

Gavaskar Slams Indian Selectors

Meanwhile, Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar slammed the Indian selection committee for not picking up Sarfaraz in the Test squad despite him scoring 100 in all last three domestic seasons.

"Khan has been scoring at an average of 100 in all past three seasons. What does he have to do to be picked in the squad? he might not be in the playing XI, but you pick him in the team," Gavskar said of the Mumbai batter to Sports Today.

"Tell him that his performances are being recognised. Otherwise, stop playing Ranji Trophy. Say, it's of no use, you just play IPL and think you are good enough for the red-ball game as well", he added.

Hindustan Times
 
An ex-BCCI selector revealed the reason behind Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran's exclusion from the squad. He said that Sarfaraz was completely exposed against quick bowlers in the IPL, whereas Easwaran failed to score. He also commented that the number of runs does not matter; what matters is how you score them.

I didn't know test is playing like ipl (T20) format these days
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Sarfaraz will struggle vs quality pacers overseas. He is absolutely timid vs genuine pace and bounce which was apparent in IPL.

He can be a good option on flat subcontinent tracks where the bounce is true and you can drive on the up and play your shots. Given that he has performed in Ranji, it means he is probably good vs spin too. However, you will get all this from Shreyas Iyer too who is comparatively far more fitter than Sarfaraz.

India have a South Africa tour later this year and in my opinion the best bet is to persist with Rahane at 5 for that series and let Gill bat at 3( he doesn't seem to be a good opening option). Try young openers like Jaiswal.

All said and done, there is clear mediocrity in batting so don't keep the expectations high.
 
The selecctors are very light weight. Basically failed international cricketers.

Sarfaraz isn't a IPL star. No big PR on social media. Hence despite huge Ranji numbers he isn't selected.

While Ruturaj is a CSK star and plays for Maharashtra. He has got a very good PR campaign on social media. So despite a avg FC career he gets selected.

[B[Its evident that if you play for a big IPL team, have big PR machinery on social media, you can influence these lightweight selectors.[/b]

You are almost 10-12 years late lol. I said this long time ago. Players are getting too big and above cricket in India. Kohli and Dhoni are perfect example of that. Not many people have the talent to spot these things though. :inti
 
Sarfaraz will struggle vs quality pacers overseas. He is absolutely timid vs genuine pace and bounce which was apparent in IPL.

He can be a good option on flat subcontinent tracks where the bounce is true and you can drive on the up and play your shots. Given that he has performed in Ranji, it means he is probably good vs spin too. However, you will get all this from Shreyas Iyer too who is comparatively far more fitter than Sarfaraz.

India have a South Africa tour later this year and in my opinion the best bet is to persist with Rahane at 5 for that series and let Gill bat at 3( he doesn't seem to be a good opening option). Try young openers like Jaiswal.

All said and done, there is clear mediocrity in batting so don't keep the expectations high.

We can't write off players based on IPL for one thing. Also we can't hype players based on IPL as well
 
He is terribly unfit and also had disciplinary issues in the past.

The likes of Kohli, Dravid, Rohit etc want players who are meek and obedient to be their yesmen so the likes of him and Shaw can only dream of getting into the side any time soon. Same applies for Bishnoi who still gets ignored for the ever useless Chahal..
 
The argument regarding his ability against pace in the IPL doesn't make sense.

Playing a test match vs trying to score at 140+ in a T20 against pace are completely different.
 
Playing a T20 and test are totally different things.

And what disciplinary issues? If he had disciplinary issues why hasn't BCCI taken any action?
 
okay word is out. Seems like after a century he made some gesture which chetan interpreted as it is at him. He had decided to 'teach' him a lesson. Omission due to revenge.
 
He is terribly unfit and also had disciplinary issues in the past.

The likes of Kohli, Dravid, Rohit etc want players who are meek and obedient to be their yesmen so the likes of him and Shaw can only dream of getting into the side any time soon. Same applies for Bishnoi who still gets ignored for the ever useless Chahal..

If celebrating is an offense Kohli should never be picked.
 
We can't write off players based on IPL for one thing. Also we can't hype players based on IPL as well

1. He is clueless vs genuine pace and bounce.
2. He is terribly unfit.

It's not IPL, IPL is just a level where he got exposed vs quality attacks. Ranji bowling standards are levels below IPL.
 
okay word is out. Seems like after a century he made some gesture which chetan interpreted as it is at him. He had decided to 'teach' him a lesson. Omission due to revenge.

Chetan Sharma is no more part of the selection committee. So take his name.
 
1. He is clueless vs genuine pace and bounce.
2. He is terribly unfit.

It's not IPL, IPL is just a level where he got exposed vs quality attacks. Ranji bowling standards are levels below IPL.

Playing pace in a T20 match and in test matches require different techniques.
 
1. He is clueless vs genuine pace and bounce.
2. He is terribly unfit.

It's not IPL, IPL is just a level where he got exposed vs quality attacks. Ranji bowling standards are levels below IPL.

You cannot be clueless and score runs in Ranji Trophy. For the record CSK won with Tushar Deshpande. So i won't hype IPL bowlers. Second of all it is a completely different format. Root also failed, Brooks also failed. We cannot dismiss him based on opinions.
 
Omitting Sarfaraz Khan on disciplinary issues as if King Kohli is the poster child of good manners :))
 
You cannot be clueless and score runs in Ranji Trophy. For the record CSK won with Tushar Deshpande. So i won't hype IPL bowlers. Second of all it is a completely different format. Root also failed, Brooks also failed. We cannot dismiss him based on opinions.

You can. The pace quality in Ranji Trophy is not good enough and pitches are typical flat Indian ones with no major assistance for swing/seam/bounce. Again, it is not about IPL. His basics vs pace are wrong. The only young names with solid techniques are Gill and Jaswal.

Root didn't failed, he just didn't got enough chances and he has achieved way too much to bother about succeeding in IPL . Brooks has issue vs spin which he can improve with time because more number of countries produce pace friendly pitches than spin friendly wickets.
 
You can. The pace quality in Ranji Trophy is not good enough and pitches are typical flat Indian ones with no major assistance for swing/seam/bounce. Again, it is not about IPL. His basics vs pace are wrong. The only young names with solid techniques are Gill and Jaswal.

Root didn't failed, he just didn't got enough chances and he has achieved way too much to bother about succeeding in IPL . Brooks has issue vs spin which he can improve with time because more number of countries produce pace friendly pitches than spin friendly wickets.

Gill has issues on turning tracks. Also he is yet to prove his credentials in English conditions. Second of all Knocking down Indian elite league some kind of street cricket is not right. First class cricket requires determination, patience to build an innings. He has bailed his side out several times.pretty much every legend we celebrate came through that system. Not from IPL. So IPL performance should have zero weightage. Domestic has a lot of good bowlers. In IPL you don't face quality bowlers for not more than 2 overs. Also, middle-order batting is very tough even for T20 specialists. Expecting long-format players to click is too much.
He should be given a chance to fail instead of randomly discarding players "he is not good against p ace" "he is not good against spin". That is a very bad precedent.
 
Give him a chance before discarding him. If Ruturaj can get a chance, then Sarfaraz definitely deserves his opportunity. Especially against minnow teams like WI.

It’s also the time to test youngsters to see who can potentially fill the spots of oldies who are on their last legs. Rohit, Rahane, Kohli and Pujara should not be in the plans of BCCI 2 years from now. I cringe every time I see these has been a piling runs against lowly teams only to fail against proper bowling attacks.
 
If i remember correctly, in case of a disciplinary matter,

The matter is reported to the BCCI by appropriate authorities.

The Apex council then forms a committee.

The committee then issues a show-cause notice.

The accused presents his case.

The committee then sends its recommendations to the Apex council, who take the decision.

I don't remember any of this happening to Sarfaraz.

No selector has the authority to to take any disciplinary action.

Secondly, fitness is decided by the NCA. Was Sarfaraz at the NCA for a fitness test?

If off field issues are a reason, why the hell Salil Ankola in the selection committee?

Poor Sarfaraz...undone by a group of talentless failures.
 
I actually support this decision to drop him. We already have too many unfit liabilities in the team who are terrible athletes (Rohit , Ashwin, Pant , Shami, Pujara etc to name a few) and we don't want another guy with an even worse fitness.

Ideally, Gill should bat in the middle order and we should blood new openers as Rohit too will most likel hang up his boots this year.

My ideal Test match batting roster for India once the old guard is done -

Jaiswal
Easwaran
Gaikwad
Gill
Iyer
Pant
Patidar
KL Rahul (should bat in the MO)
Sundar
Rinku Singh

Upendra Yadav as the backup keeper.
 
"Sarfaraz's celebration during a Ranji match in Delhi was meant for his teammates and coach Amol Mujumdar, who had doffed his hat. The selector present was Salil Ankola and not Chetan Sharma. Sarfaraz took the team out of pressure situation and the celebration was one of relief," a sources close to cricketer told PTI on Monday.

"Is it even wrong to be exalted in your celebration and that too when you are pointing towards your own dressing room," the source said.

There was also an incident where apparently MP coach Chandrakant Pandit was not happy with his attitude but the source said that Pandit always has been affectionate towards him.

"Chandu sir treats him like a son. He has always had good things to say about him and knows him since he was 14 years old. He would never be angry on Sarfaraz," the source said.

People close to Sarfaraz do want to know why he has been ignored in the Indian team despite scoring heavily.

The current Indian team has a fitness criteria of 16.5 and he has cleared it and as far as cricketing fitness goes, he has at times batted for two days and fielded for another two days.

NDTV
 
He absolutely deserves a few chances, calling someone not good even without giving the person a chance is **. Perhaps he has to increase his insta followers count to pass the criteria for selection in India or at the very least come up with some made-up sob story about his struggles (mental/economical/personal). You see being normal and being a good cricketer doesn't cut through in India, something more to the story needs to be there. He should take lessons from the likes of Dinesh Karthiks and KL Rahuls on how to get into the Indian team.
 
I actually support this decision to drop him. We already have too many unfit liabilities in the team who are terrible athletes (Rohit , Ashwin, Pant , Shami, Pujara etc to name a few) and we don't want another guy with an even worse fitness.

Sarfraz is unfit but Rahul is not.. half of the times he's injured and other half he's a mental midget..

The current Indian team has a fitness criteria of 16.5 and he has cleared it and as far as cricketing fitness goes, he has at times batted for two days and fielded for another two days.

NDTV
So he does have cricket fitness..
 
the guy avg 80 in first class cricket, why he is being ignored?
 
I'm really starting to believe that brand value and media hype precedes actual performance in Indian cricket selections. Any other board would have probably dropped Kohli from the Test team by now. Sarfaraz, poor lad, deserves to be given chances in the Test format. Instead, we have over the hill has-beens occupying their spot.
 
Sarfraz is unfit but Rahul is not.. half of the times he's injured and other half he's a mental midget..
Agree with this.

Also, with what face can anyone call Rohit fit? He also keeps missing games/series on one pretext or the other. And worse still, he is leading us in all formats!
 
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The situation within the BCCI is dire at the moment both in Cricketing and administrative fields.

The selection committee has been filled with nobodies.

First a msk prasad keeps out Rayudu due to personal grudges.

Now a recovering alcoholic with a mountain size ego is keeping out Sarfaraz.

Mr Jay Shah has a lot of work to do.
 
The situation within the BCCI is dire at the moment both in Cricketing and administrative fields.

The selection committee has been filled with nobodies.

First a msk prasad keeps out Rayudu due to personal grudges.

Now a recovering alcoholic with a mountain size ego is keeping out Sarfaraz.

Mr Jay Shah has a lot of work to do.

If only he were as shrewd as his father.
 
the guy avg 80 in first class cricket, why he is being ignored?

Because, unlike the opinions of many posters here, the Indian system is much more flawed than the Pakistani system currently. And is also driven by PR and advertisement money etc. to an extent that is not found in Pakistan's cricket.

A lot of people complain about Pakistan's selections but it has, on the whole, been much better than India's for at least 2 years now.
 
Because, unlike the opinions of many posters here, the Indian system is much more flawed than the Pakistani system currently. And is also driven by PR and advertisement money etc. to an extent that is not found in Pakistan's cricket.

A lot of people complain about Pakistan's selections but it has, on the whole, been much better than India's for at least 2 years now.

to be fair, our selection is also pr driven.
 
If only he were as shrewd as his father.

He has made mistakes. There was no need to bring in people like Ashish Shehlar just because he is BJP and Mumbaikar.

The Apex council lacks experience.

Look at the Broadcast rights situation. BCCI has no Broadcaster. They were supposed to sell the rights months ago. But some idiot asked them to wait till Zee-Sony merger. God knows if and when the merger will take place. So many legal issues in that merger.

Then the selection committee issues. Giving stupid reasons to hide the incompetency of the selectors.

Another 6 months to Jay Shah and we will know if he is competent.
 
Because, unlike the opinions of many posters here, the Indian system is much more flawed than the Pakistani system currently. And is also driven by PR and advertisement money etc. to an extent that is not found in Pakistan's cricket.

A lot of people complain about Pakistan's selections but it has, on the whole, been much better than India's for at least 2 years now.

Only 2 years?

Since msk Prasad took over, situation has been dire. It was a bit better before that.

We have had disasters as selection committees.

Absolute disasters.
 
Only 2 years?

Since msk Prasad took over, situation has been dire. It was a bit better before that.

We have had disasters as selection committees.

Absolute disasters.

How then have India done so well in international cricket?

Something right is happening.
 
How then have India done so well in international cricket?

Something right is happening.

Because a lot of changes happened between 2008 and 2013. And some after 2015.

The last competent selection committee was perhaps led by Sandeep Patil.

Since MSK Prasad took over in 2016, it has been a downward spiral.

Today there is no proper next generation to take over. Because the selectors kept picking the same failures.
 
Right-handed batter Sarfaraz Khan shone with a sensational hundred during India's three-day intra-squad practice match in Pretoria. It is worth noting that the Indian cricket team players are currently preparing for the two-match Test series against South Africa, starting December 26 in Centurion. In the India vs India 'A' game, Sarfaraz slammed a 63-ball ton. The video his batting has went viral on social media as the star batter played the knock against the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana.

Despite establishing himself as one of the most consistent batters in the domestic circuit, an India call-up has eluded Sarfaraz for long. He scored 556 runs in six games at an average of 92.66 in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy campaign with the help of three centuries. In the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy season, he had 982 runs at an average of 122.75.

NDTV
 
Mumbai-based batter Sarfaraz Khan once again made the headlines with his performance. Playing for India A in the ongoing two-day practice match against England Lions, Sarfaraz smashed 96 off 110 balls. His knock, which consisted of 11 boundaries and one six, came exactly after the day when India's squad for the first two Tests against England was announced and he was once again overlooked. Sarfaraz has been consistently performing well in the domestic cricket but is yet to make his international debut.

Talking about his performance, Sarfaraz has scored 556 runs in six games at an average of 92.66 in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy campaign with the help of three centuries. In the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy season, he had 982 runs at an average of 122.75. Overall, he has an average of 69.6 in First Class cricket.
 
Mumbai-based batter Sarfaraz Khan once again made the headlines with his performance. Playing for India A in the ongoing two-day practice match against England Lions, Sarfaraz smashed 96 off 110 balls. His knock, which consisted of 11 boundaries and one six, came exactly after the day when India's squad for the first two Tests against England was announced and he was once again overlooked. Sarfaraz has been consistently performing well in the domestic cricket but is yet to make his international debut.

Talking about his performance, Sarfaraz has scored 556 runs in six games at an average of 92.66 in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy campaign with the help of three centuries. In the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy season, he had 982 runs at an average of 122.75. Overall, he has an average of 69.6 in First Class cricket.
That is some record. Needs to change his body posture at the crease to make himself more confident
 
Considering how bad Indian batters play spin, you cannot ignore a guy who scores loads of runs in domestic cricket at least for home games.
 
The BCCI has included Sarfaraz Khan, a middle-order batsman from Mumbai, along with two other players in the India squad. This decision comes as Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul are set to miss the second Test against England due to injury issues.

Mumbai batsman Sarfaraz Khan has received his maiden international call-up, rewarding his outstanding performances for Mumbai in domestic cricket and India A. In the recent game against England Lions, Sarfaraz impressed with a stunning innings, scoring 161 runs off just 160 balls. Many believe that the 26-year-old's international debut is long overdue.
 
Finally a well deserved player got his chance.

Couldn't believe it when I saw his first class batting average. How has this guy not been selected for Team India yet?
 
If Imam is happy for him, he should be afraid of this thing because it is no going to end well for him LOL
 
India's batting coach Vikram Rathour on Wednesday said it "will be tough" to pick one among Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar in the second Test against England. The match begins here from Friday, with hosts India seeking to draw parity after losing the series opener in Hyderabad. After the first game, India faced injury concerns with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul being ruled out of the second Test, in addition to the absence of star batter Virat Kohli. This forced the selectors to add uncapped Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar and Washington Sundar to the squad, and Rajat Patidar also made the team.

"It will be a tough choice. What value they bring to the team, of course, is that they are superb players. We have seen how well they have done in domestic cricket in the last few years," Rathour said of the reinforcements during a press conference.

"So on these kind of wickets, I think they can really add a lot of value to the team." He added, "If we have to pick just one out of them, of course, it would be tough. But, that decision will be made by Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma." The playing XI will be finalised keeping in mind the conditions.

"It (pitch) is difficult to predict. It will turn, maybe not from the first day, but eventually, it will turn. That's how the wicket looks like."

India slipped to fifth place on the World Test Championship (WTC) table following the loss in Hyderabad and the hosts would be desperate to bounce back here.

Rathour said that more than recovery, the players need to learn and move on.

"There's no question of recovery. You keep learning every game that you play. Of course, we could have done better in batting, bowling and fielding. A lot of discussions and ideas are being shared, preparing well and hoping to do well in the next game." He expressed confidence in the players' ability to bounce back and cited India's unbeaten record in Test series at home since 2012.

"We keep talking about our batters (not scoring enough), but India has been winning a lot of series at home. We haven't lost a series at home for 12-13 years.

"It means we are putting up more runs than the other teams. These are tough conditions to score runs, but I'm sure that the batters will find a way."

At this level, Rathour said the players just need to act as per the situation.

"Once you come to this level, I don't think you require too much coaching. It's about reading the situations and making smarter decisions.

"As long as they are asking the right questions and receiving the right answers, there is no chance of over-coaching," he concluded.

NDTV
 
India's batting coach Vikram Rathour on Wednesday said it "will be tough" to pick one among Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar in the second Test against England. The match begins here from Friday, with hosts India seeking to draw parity after losing the series opener in Hyderabad. After the first game, India faced injury concerns with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul being ruled out of the second Test, in addition to the absence of star batter Virat Kohli. This forced the selectors to add uncapped Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar and Washington Sundar to the squad, and Rajat Patidar also made the team.

"It will be a tough choice. What value they bring to the team, of course, is that they are superb players. We have seen how well they have done in domestic cricket in the last few years," Rathour said of the reinforcements during a press conference.

"So on these kind of wickets, I think they can really add a lot of value to the team." He added, "If we have to pick just one out of them, of course, it would be tough. But, that decision will be made by Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma." The playing XI will be finalised keeping in mind the conditions.

"It (pitch) is difficult to predict. It will turn, maybe not from the first day, but eventually, it will turn. That's how the wicket looks like."


Source: NDTV
 
'My dad said I play like Javed Miandad': Sarfaraz Khan harbours Test debut dream following Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers

Sarfaraz Khan's father believes his son plays like Javed Miandad. The rising Indian batter follows Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Joe Root to keep improving.

In June 2022, Sarfaraz Khan's name was used in the same sentence as Don Bradman many times. So much so that 'Sarfaraz Bradman' was one of the top trends on Twitter (now X). He was 24 then, enjoying a never-before-seen run in India's first-class cricket. He had just become the first Indian batter to score more than 900 runs in successive Ranji Trophy seasons. As a result, his first-class average rocketed to 82.83 in 25 matches, only second to Sir Don in the list of highest first-class averages of all time. Sarfaraz has had to wait two more seasons to finally earn his maiden call-up and on the eve of the second India-England Test, he is hoping that cap with the BCCI logo sits on his head on Friday.

Sarfaraz is no stranger to hard work. Nothing has ever come easy to him. From fitness-related criticisms to scoring hundreds at will, from Bradman comparisons to being ignored by the selectors for the longest of time, he has seen it all in his career that is not even a decade old. But every time, he has tried to learn. He has made sure to observe the best in the business.

"I like to watch Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Sir Vivian Richards, and even Javed Miandad because my dad has told me that I play like him. I watch Joe Root's batting also. Anyone who is succeeding, I am watching them to see how they are doing it so I can learn and apply it. I want to continue doing this, whether it's in the Ranji Trophy or playing for India in the future," Sarfaraz told JioCinema.

The Javed Miandad comparison was only the tip of the contribution that his father - Naushad Ahmed - has made to make his son a quality cricketer. In may ways, he is the real-life hero of Sarafaraz.

"My father introduced me to cricket, and I always wondered why am I even playing. I am an attacking batsman and I used to get out sooner than others and scoring big runs was getting difficult.

"It was disheartening to see others succeed while I wouldn't be among the runs. But my dad always believed in hard work, and everything I have is a result of that work," said Sarfaraz.

In the 2015-2016 domestic season, Sarfaraz opted to play for Uttar Pradesh after he ran into trouble with Mumbai selectors during an under-19 game.

Sarfaraz said his dad would travel to UP or wherever the team played to watch him bat.

"Even when I moved from Mumbai to UP, he would take flights to come and see me. He would start bowling to me on the terrace or the road itself before selection trials."Now I realise the impact and importance of those efforts," he added.

After two modest seasons with UP, Sarfaraz decided to return to Mumbai after gaining a NOC from UPCA and the 26-year-old admitted it was a tough moment for him.

But Sarfaraz said his father was the pillar of strength in this phase.

"When I came back to Mumbai from UP, I was scared if this would bring a halt to my career and I strongly felt there was no future ahead of me.

But my dad always stood by me. There's no guarantee in life if you don't get opportunities," he said.

"But there were opportunities galore for him in Mumbai and his career blossomed there.

Now, Sarfaraz has 3912 runs from 45 First-Class matches at an average of 69.85 with 14 hundreds and 11 fifties.

Even in the red-ball format, Sarfaraz strikes at 70.48, making him a standout performer.

So, how does he score so consistently? Sarfaraz revealed the secret.

"My strength is that I am not easily satisfied. I play 500-600 balls every day. If I don't play at least 200-300 balls in a match, I feel like I haven't done much. It's a habit now.

"If you want to play five-day cricket, you have to stay patient and practice every day. I play cricket all day and that's why I can stay on the pitch for a long time," Sarfaraz added.

Hindustan Times

 
Happy for this guy that finally he got a call. Hoping that he will grab the chance well and make his position permanent in the team.
 
He deserved a run, the guy has scored bucketload of runs in domestic cricket, probably more than anyone else among the uncapped names. His fitness delayed his comeback but good to see him finally getting a call.
 
He deserved a run, the guy has scored bucketload of runs in domestic cricket, probably more than anyone else among the uncapped names. His fitness delayed his comeback but good to see him finally getting a call.
He missed the boat again. Still waiting for his chance. He would be crying again now that he is not picked again.
 
I was expecting him to be picked for this Test.
Rajat Patidar replaced Rahul instead of him. How unfortunate this Sarfaraz guy is. Tried and cried hard for his call-up, and now gets a call finally and he missed out again. Should have been there.
 
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