BCCI Open Up On Sarfaraz Khan’s Exclusion: BCCI recently announced India’s test squad for the Carrebian tour and the top scorer in the domestic season for the last years, Sarfaraz Khan, still could find his name in the list. Sarfaraz Khan may be disheartened after yet another selection snub from IND vs WI Test squad. Unofficially, some official sources of BCCI open up on Sarfaraz Khan’s exclusion from the Test Squad.
Work on your physical health and off and on-field discipline; that is the clear message from BCCI. His dim performance in the IPL 2023 had nothing to do with his exclusion from India vs West Indies series. According to BCCI sources, the decision was prompted by his subpar “fitness level” and his “off and on-field conduct.”
Former batting great Sunil Gavaskar criticized Sarfaraz Khan’s non-inclusion in the Indian team for the West Indies tour. He said, “Sarfaraz Khan has been scoring at an average of 100 in all past three seasons. What does he have to do to be picked in the squad? He might not be in the XI, but you pick him in the team. Tell him that his performances are being recognized. Otherwise, stop playing Ranji Trophy. Say, it’s of no use.”
BCCI Official On Sarfaraz Khan’s Exclusion
After 37 red ball games, the 25-year-old has a phenomenal career average of 79.65, so the selection of Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose career average is 42 or more but ignoring Sarfaraz, was quite surprising. BCCI official reveals that only runs are not enough for the selection. Sarfaraz Khan’s fitness and his off-field discipline are the thorns in the flesh.
“Are selectors fools to not consider a player who has scored 900 plus runs in successive seasons? One of the reasons is his fitness which isn’t exactly of international standard. He has to work hard, maybe shed weight and comeback leaner and fitter as it’s not just batting fitness that is the sole criteria for selection,” a BCCI source told PTI.
“The angry reactions are understandable but I can tell you with some degree of certainty that the reason behind Sarfaraz getting ignored time and again is not just cricketing one. There are multiple reasons for which he hasn’t been considered,” a BCCI official added.
“His conduct on and off the field hasn’t exactly been top-notch. Certain things said, certain gestures made and some incidents have been taken note of. A bit more disciplined approach would only do him a world of good. Hopefully, Sarfaraz along with his father and coach Naushad Khan will work on those aspects.”
Sarfaraz’s celebrations following his century against Delhi earlier this year during a Ranji game reportedly did not sit well with the former selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma, who was watching the game from the stands.
IPL doesn’t affect the selection criteria for the Indian Test team
The BCCI official said that IPL has nothing to do with the test team selection. He put some examples like Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari that their IPL stats were never eye-catching but still they made it to the Indian Test Team.
“That’s a perception built by media. Do you think there could be any cricketing reason? When Mayank Agarwal broke into the Indian Test team, he scored 1000 first-class runs in one month. Did MSK Prasad’s committee check his IPL credentials? Ditto for Hanuma Vihari, who came through domestic and A team ranks.”
If their IPL and white ball record wasn’t checked then, why would SS Das’s committee reinvent the wheel now? Simple. The reason is not a cricketing one,” he concluded.
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For more details head to BCCI’s official website.
