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Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan has been left out of the Rishabh Pant-led India A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa A, a decision that has reignited debates over India’s selection policy.
Sarfaraz Khan misses out on India A tour, set to play Ranji Trophy instead
Nearly a year since his last international appearance, Sarfaraz will now return to domestic cricket, representing Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
Once hailed as the next big thing in India’s middle order, Sarfaraz’s absence from both the senior and India A squads has raised eyebrows. Despite strong performances in limited Test opportunities, he finds himself out of contention, hinting at a possible loss of faith from the selectors.
Sarfaraz’s exclusion comes despite credible stats and visible improvement in fitness. In six Test matches, the 26-year-old has scored 371 runs at an average of 46.37, including one century and three fifties. During the off-season, he even shed 17 kilograms, addressing fitness concerns that once overshadowed his form.
Since making his Test debut against England in early 2024, Sarfaraz has been consistent, notching twin fifties on debut and a fighting century against New Zealand later that year. However, after a couple of lean matches, he was benched through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia – and hasn’t been picked since.
Now, with Pant captaining India A, Sarfaraz’s omission feels like an unspoken signal. Reports suggest he’s been advised to bat at number three for Mumbai in domestic cricket – the only position still unsettled in India’s current Test lineup.
Ravichandran Ashwin criticizes lack of communication in selection policy
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin voiced his concern over Sarfaraz’s exclusion, calling it a symptom of inconsistent communication between selectors and players. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said the situation mirrors past experiences of players like Subramaniam Badrinath and Manoj Tiwary, who were at least informed of selection rationale.
“The problem is that your communication and selection should match,” Ashwin remarked. “Back in the day, selectors would clearly tell players like Badrinath or Tiwary that they were being dropped to make room for fresh faces but could still be considered for India later. That honesty mattered.”
In Sarfaraz’s case, however, Ashwin feels such transparency is missing. “If the message is that we’ve seen enough of Sarfaraz, that’s unfair. You’ve picked Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has already played enough for India A. The rest of the names are futuristic – Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar – but what about Sarfaraz’s present form?” he questioned.
Ashwin also empathized with Sarfaraz’s frustration, highlighting that his hard work – from shedding weight to scoring consistently – has gone unrewarded.
Also READ: Rishabh Pant returns as BCCI announces India A squad for South Africa A unofficial Tests
“He’s done everything asked of him – improved fitness, scored runs, hit a century in his last Test series. Yet, he’s not being picked. That leads me to believe someone has decided they’re no longer looking at him,” Ashwin said.
The former India star warned that such treatment could trap Sarfaraz in a label: “Now if he performs well in first-class cricket, they’ll say he’s only good for that level. So where does he go to prove himself?”
With his omission from India A, Sarfaraz’s focus now shifts to the Ranji Trophy, where he’ll look to let his bat do the talking once again. For a player who has repeatedly proven his class in domestic cricket, this latest snub adds another chapter to the ongoing debate about India’s opaque selection system – one where performance and potential don’t always seem to align.
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