“Will Get Chances Very Soon” – BCCI Chief Selector Chetan Sharma Breaks Silence On Non-selection Of Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan
Published - 01 Nov 2022, 12:10 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:14 AM
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector Chetan Sharma has opened up on the non-selection of the dynamic opener Prithvi Shaw and domestic cricket giant Sarfaraz Khan in the squad for India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand and Bangladesh.
On Monday, October 31, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India’s squads for the series against New Zealand and Bangladesh. The Men In Blue will lock horns with New Zealand in a three-match T20I series and a three-match ODI series. The T20Is will be played on November 18, 20, and 22. The ODIs will be played on November 25, 27, and 30 respectively.
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Also, the India tour of Bangladesh will consist of a three-match ODI series and a two-match Test series. The ODIs will be played on December 4, 7 and 10 while the Test matches will be played from December 14 to 18 and December 22 to 26.
After the announcement of the squads, Chetan Sharma was asked about the snub of Prithvi Shaw, who has been consistently performing brilliantly in the IPL and domestic cricket, from the T20I squad. BCCI chief selector said that the selection committee is in touch with Shaw and he will be provided with opportunities very soon.
“We are basically looking for Prithvi (Shaw). We are in constant touch with Prithvi. He is going well. He is doing nothing wrong at all. The thing is that we have to see whether the guys who are playing are also getting their chances. He will definitely get his chance. Selectors are in constant touch with Prithvi. He will get his chances very soon,” he said.
He is a serious contender – Chetan Sharma on Sarfaraz Khan
Sharma also talked about the non-selection of Sarfaraz Khan in India’s Test squad for the Bangladesh tour and said that the middle-order batter, who has been in red-hot form, having scored runs for India A, Mumbai and the Rest of India, needs to do more to replace the current players in the squad.
“He is a serious contender and he will definitely get a chance very soon,” Sharma was quoted as saying in a virtual press conference.
“Sarfaraz Khan is being followed and we have given him opportunities in India A. I have spoken to him and he’s not that far away. Sometimes people need to do more to replace current players and he was discussed for a brief period,” he added.
The 25-year-old Sarfaraz has scored 2928 runs in 29 first-class matches at an average of 81.3, including 10 centuries and 8 half-centuries. He has the second-best average in the history of first-class cricket, only behind Sir Don Bradman, amongst the players who have scored a minimum of 2000 runs.
