BCCI Officials Clarify Sarfaraz Khan’s Omission Amid Rishabh Pant Debate

Two days after Sarfaraz Khan was left out of the India A squad for the South Africa series, a BCCI source spoke about the decision. Even though the Mumbai batter has fully recovered from a quadriceps injury, he was not selected and will play in the Ranji Trophy instead. While many were upset over Sarfaraz being left out, the BCCI source explained the selectors’ reasoning behind the choice.

According to NDTV, a BCCI source said Sarfaraz Khan was not left out because of poor performance or any bias, as some on social media suggested. The source explained that he had just returned to competitive cricket in the first round of the Ranji Trophy after recovering from his injury. The selectors plan to watch his performance in the ongoing Ranji season before considering him for India A again.

"Sarfaraz was out with a quadriceps injury. He recently made a comeback and played the first round of the Ranji Trophy-that is the only competitive cricket he has played in a long time. The selectors will assess his form in the ongoing Ranji season before drafting him back into the India A set-up. Hopefully, he will get his chances soon," the source told NDTV.

Rishabh Pant’s Number 5 Spot Sparks Sarfaraz Khan Exclusion

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a PTI report suggested that Sarfaraz Khan was left out of the India A squad because of Rishabh Pant. The report claimed that Pant, the India A captain, was almost certain to bat at number 5, the same position Sarfaraz was competing for.

Another report added that Sarfaraz had been included in the India A squad for the series against the England Lions only to avoid awkward questions. It said that while he was guaranteed a spot for the upcoming IND vs WI Test series at home, he had fully recovered only two days after the squad was announced.