Former Indian cricket captain Dilip Vengsarkar has publicly voiced his confusion and disappointment over the continued exclusion of prolific batsman Sarfaraz Khan from the Indian national team across all formats. Vengsarkar's comments come as Sarfaraz continues to pile on runs in domestic cricket, most recently scoring a blistering 150 for Mumbai against Goa in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Vengsarkar's Bafflement Over Consistent Snub
Speaking to The Times of India, Vengsarkar did not mince words, stating his bewilderment at the selection committee's stance. "It's really baffling for me why he's not picked in any format for India when he has done so well consistently," Vengsarkar said. He highlighted Sarfaraz's proven ability at the international level, recalling a crucial partnership with Devdutt Padikkal against England in Dharamshala that helped India win a Test match.
Vengsarkar pointed out the apparent injustice following that promising performance. "After that home series against England, he didn't get another opportunity to play a Test," he lamented. He noted that even though Sarfaraz was part of the squad for the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, he was never given a chance, which the former selector finds inexplicable for a player of his calibre.
The Shifting Goalposts for Sarfaraz Khan
The core of the issue, as previously reported by The Indian Express, appears to be a fundamental disbelief in Sarfaraz Khan's talent at the highest level. Despite his mountain of runs in first-class cricket, a perception persists that his game is not suited for international cricket, denying him a clear run to either succeed or fail.
Critics argue that the parameters for his selection keep changing. Initially, questions were raised about his ability against high-quality international bowling. When he answered those with performances against England and New Zealand, the narrative shifted to his supposed inability to succeed overseas.
This was evident before India's Test series in England. Despite being overlooked for the tour in favour of players like Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan, Sarfaraz made a powerful statement. Playing for India A in Canterbury, he smashed 92 runs against the England Lions. He followed this up with an unbeaten century in an intra-squad match, taking on India's premier fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep.
A Talent in Limbo
Vengsarkar concluded with a strong sentiment, calling the situation a "real shame." He firmly believes Sarfaraz is a multi-format player whose talent is being "ignored and neglected." The right-hander's sublime form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy only adds to the growing puzzle and the chorus of voices questioning the selection logic.
As the debate rages, Sarfaraz Khan continues to let his bat do the talking in domestic circuits, waiting for another elusive call-up to prove his detractors wrong and justify the faith of supporters like Dilip Vengsarkar.
