Sarfaraz Khan waited for years to wear the India Test jersey. When that dream finally came true, the Mumbaikar grabbed the opportunity in style and made everyone believe that he was ready to become India’s next middle-order star in Test cricket.
The Mumbai batter had been knocking on the selectors’ door for a long time with his continuous remarkable performances in domestic cricket, and when he finally got his chance against England at home, he made an immediate impact.
Sarfaraz Khan’s dream start to Test career ends with a sudden setback
The right-handed batter scored two fighting fifties in his debut Test and received praise from cricket experts across the world. A few months later, he got another chance in the home Test series against New Zealand.
And he once again stole the show by hammering his maiden Test hundred. His brilliant 150 in Bengaluru showed that he had the ability to play long innings even under pressure. But after that memorable knock, Sarfaraz could score only 21 runs in his next four innings.
Even though his overall record was still impressive, he is now out of the national team. Sarfaraz lost his place in the Indian cricket team after playing only 6 Tests following his poor performance against New Zealand.
“You cannot take a place for granted”: Dilip Vengsarkar to Sarfaraz Khan
Now, former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar has shared his honest opinion on Sarfaraz Khan’s situation. He feels the young batter has the talent to succeed, but international cricket demands much more than just scoring runs.
Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by PTI: “I was really impressed by Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal in the India-England Test match in Dharamsala a couple of years ago. They had an excellent partnership at a very crucial stage of the Test match. They showed excellent temperament and excellent technique.”
The former Indian chief selector has noted that every player has to stay fit and keep performing because nobody’s place in the team is permanent. He added, “Sarfaraz is a good player. There is no question about it. But you cannot take a place for granted, and you have to be fit all the time.”
When Sarfaraz Khan’s India journey takes a painful turn
Sarfaraz last played a Test during New Zealand’s tour of India in 2024. He scored 171 runs in six innings in that series. It was a tough time for the entire Indian batting line-up, as even the experienced players failed to perform and India suffered a rare whitewash at home.
Even after that, Sarfaraz traveled with the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia during the 2024-25 season. Many fans expected him to get at least one chance in the five-match Test series, but he spent the entire tour on the bench and did not play a single match.
On that tour, many things came out from the dressing room, and the support staff indirectly blamed Sarfaraz for leaking the details. Since then, the middle-order batter has not been selected for the Indian Test side. Now, the talented Mumbai batter will once again have to score heavily in domestic cricket and wait for another opportunity to represent his country in whites.
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Author: Rashmi Wasnik
