Sarfaraz Khan has been one of the most consistent performers in domestic cricket for India in the last two to three years. It is on the back of his domestic performances that he broke into the Indian Test side.
However, the Indian selectors have not considered giving him a longer run in Test cricket. He made his Test debut against New Zealand last year. He scored a 150 in Bengaluru and then he was not picked for the Australia series.
The selectors have yet again ignored him for the Test series against England. However, they picked him in the India A side and he has now scored runs against the England Lions and also the senior Test side. His latest is a hundred against the Indian side in the warm-up game.
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Not A Good Story - Aakash Chopra On Sarfaraz Khan's Snub
Meanwhile, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra is surprised with the selectors repeatedly snubbing Sarfaraz Khan despite his consistent performances. Talking about him on his YouTube channel, Chopra said that the batter has not done anything wrong in his career so far to be snubbed out.
"Sarfaraz Khan hasn't done anything wrong thus far. In fact, he hasn't done anything wrong till now. The one match he played, he scored 90-plus runs. He couldn't score a hundred, but he scored runs. After that, you didn't play him in the next match, and he is not part of the Test team," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
He further backed him saying that he has not failed in England, Australia and South Africa. Chopra went onto say that the selectors must not send him for India A tours if they are intent on not playing him in the Test side.
"He hasn't failed in England, Australia and South Africa thus far, but you haven't given him a chance. It is not a good story. I can understand if you don't have confidence in his technique or playing style, that he might not be able to score runs there, then you have to take a call. Then don't send him with India A also. because you have a pre-conceived notion" the former Indian opener added.
Aakash Chopra further empathised with Sarfaraz saying that it is natural for him to feel bad if he is being snubbed repeatedly despite playing well consistently. Chopra argued that it is justified for Sarfaraz to feel bad.
"If you think he can make runs, and that's why he has been picked for the India A squad, then play him in the India Test team too. What wrong has he done. He made a ton in Bengaluru. Then he failed in two matches, but no one else scored in those matches. He did not even play a single match in Australia, in fact he was not even part of the conversation. So, in such a scenario, one might think that something wrong is happening with him. What has he done wrong? Maybe, absolutely nothing. But he is not getting a place in the XI. in fact he is not in the scheme of things, which is a little sad, if your name is Sarfaraz Khan," he said.
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Karun Nair To Replace Virat Kohli At Number 4
Karun Nair was selected in the Indian Test squad ahead of Sarfaraz for the Test series against England and he is likely to replace Virat Kohli at number four in the lineup. The first Test starts at Headingley from June 20.
