Sarfaraz Khan has finally received his maiden Indian call-up as the national team grapples with injuries to Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul during the first Test against England in Hyderabad. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Monday (January 29) that both Jadeja and Rahul will be unavailable for the second Test in Visakhapatnam. Jadeja suffered a hamstring injury during play on Day 4 of the Hyderabad Test, while Rahul is sidelined with right quadriceps pain, as stated in the BCCI media release.
The press release read, "Jadeja sustained a hamstring injury during play on Day 4 of the first Test in Hyderabad, while Rahul complained of right quadriceps pain. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring the progress of the duo. The Men's Selection Committee has added Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar, and Washington Sundar to India's squad." In addition to Sarfaraz, spin-bowling all-rounders Washington Sundar and Saurabh Kumar have been included in the squad.
The reason behind Sarfaraz Khan's delayed inclusion in the Indian Test squad has remained a contentious and largely unanswered question. Despite establishing himself as a prolific first-class batsman, accumulating an impressive 3912 runs in just 45 matches at an outstanding average of 69.85, the delay in his selection has perplexed many. Notably, Sarfaraz has showcased a remarkable ability to convert starts into substantial innings, boasting 14 centuries and 11 half-centuries.
Leading up to the series against England, Sarfaraz showcased his form with outstanding performances against the England Lions. After a less impactful first innings, he responded with a gritty 96 in the second, followed by another half-century in the second unofficial Test. His consistent displays extended to South Africa, where he impressed with a spectacular 61-ball century in an intra-squad game in Pretoria.
Despite speculation surrounding Sarfaraz's inclusion, especially with Virat Kohli's absence from the squad for the first two Test matches against England, he was once again overlooked, leaving many surprised and questioning the decision. Following his disappointment, Sarfaraz, often referred to as Mumbai's 'run-machine,' took a commendable approach by letting his bat speak for him. Within 48 hours of the snub, he delivered a commanding statement with a majestic innings of 161, guiding India A to dominance over England Lions on the second day of the second 'unofficial Test' in Ahmedabad.
India's squad for the 2nd Test includes Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, and Sourabh Kumar.
