Mumbai skipper Shardul Thakur has stated that middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan can straight away play Test matches by scoring runs in the Ranji Trophy. The right-hander wasn’t picked in the India A squad to play two four-day games against the visiting South African A team starting in Bengaluru from October 30. The recent non-selection of the 28-year-old for India A has caused outrage in the cricketing circle.
On eve of their Ranji Trophy game against Chhattisgarh at the MCA-BKC ground, Thakur was asked about his view on Sarfaraz’s non-selection in the India A squad. “Nowadays, for the India A side, they look at boys, who they want to prepare for international cricket. I feel Sarfaraz doesn’t need an India A game to play international cricket. If he gets back to scoring again, he can straight away go and play Test series also,” the medium-pacer explained.
Sarfaraz hasn’t been part of the Indian team since the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. He wasn’t picked for the two-match Test series against the West Indies at home earlier this month due to injury. However, what came as a surprise was him missing out from the India A squad without any reason. Thakur stated that Sarfaraz was coming from injury lay-off and he was looking in a good touch.
“But before that, he scored two-three centuries in the Buchi Babu Trophy before getting injured. Coming back against J&K in the previous match, he had a nice 40 (42). It was very unfortunate to have been run out. But for him, I don’t think playing India A is important,” Thakur added..
Being the senior player in the team, Thakur said he had the hunger to put an extra effort in the side and he had delivered for Mumbai in crunch situations in the past.
“He has big scores of 200-250’s and those innings have come when the team was two or three down quite early in the innings. To play that kind of innings under pressure, you have to have something special in you. He is one of the special players who never disappoints to perform and put up big scores. He has done it for years and years. Regardless of which number he bats, I think he will deliver,” the India all rounder said.
