Sarfaraz Khan evicted from Team India because of captain

Middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan was excluded from the Rishabh Pant-led India A squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, which surprised many in the cricketing community. A former national selector stated that the young batter should discuss with the Mumbai team management.

Sarfaraz last featured for India A earlier this year. He scored 92 runs against the England Lions in Canterbury. However, during the recent series against Australia A last month, he was still recovering at the National Cricket Academy’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, which delayed his push for national selection.

Sarfaraz Khan’s Exclusion Seen as a Tactical Move, Not a Snub

On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the India 'A' squad for the two first-class matches against South Africa A. However, Sarfaraz Khan was not included in the squad despite his impressive performances in domestic cricket.

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According to a report in the PTI, Sarfaraz's exclusion was a tactical decision rather than a snub. Rishabh Pant returned from injury to captain the side and is expected to bat at No. 5, which meant Sarfaraz would have likely warmed the bench even if included.

B Sai Sudharsan will get an opportunity at No. 3, while regular players like Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy will occupy the middle order.

The Mumbai batter will focus on the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season while awaiting another chance to re-enter India’s red-ball plans.

Sarfaraz Khan Should Have a Chat With Ajinkya Rahane - Former Selector

A former national selector said that Sarfaraz Khan should discuss his role with the Mumbai team management and senior player Ajinkya Rahane, noting that batting at No. 5 or 6 would not help him return to the squad.

"Sarfaraz should have a chat with the Mumbai team management and also with their senior-most player, Ajinkya Rahane, and, maybe, try out batting at No. 3 where he might have to play the new ball. If he keeps batting at No. 5 or 6, it won't help. India have more all-round options for those slots.

"Pant, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, and Nitish Reddy... if all are fit and available, they will occupy the middle-order, being multi-skilled players. When Pant is injured, it will be Dhruv Jurel batting at No. 5 or 6," a former national selector privy to the developments told PTI.

Sarfaraz Khan Falls Behind Rajat Patidar and Ruturaj Gaikwad in Selection Order

Sarfaraz Khan has fallen behind Rajat Patidar and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the selection order. Patidar had a modest performance in his brief Test stint against England earlier in 2024, but he scored three centuries, including a double hundred, and three fifties in his last eight innings across first-class cricket.

Gaikwad has strengthened his case with scores of 184, 91, and a half-century in his recent matches. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz had a poor run against New Zealand, where he failed in four consecutive innings on spin-friendly pitches.

With India’s top and lower middle order already settled, the No. 3 spot appears to be his only opening back into the Test setup. However, the batter will have to adapt to face the new ball and deliver consistent performances under pressure.

Also read: CSK coach shockingly claims he could’ve scored more runs and centuries than Sachin Tendulkar