Sarfaraz Khan’s exclusion from the Indian team for the West Indies tour has been attributed to his below-par “fitness level” and alleged “off-field conduct,” according to a PTI report.
The surprising decision to leave out Sarfaraz Khan, despite his impressive career average of 79.65 after 37 red ball games, has sparked controversy. Ruturaj Gaikwad, with a career average of 42-plus, was chosen instead.
In the last three Ranji seasons, Sarfaraz Khan scored 2,566 runs, with 928 runs in the 2019/20 season, 982 runs in the 2022-23 season, and 656 runs in the 2022-23 season.
“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,” said the PTI report quoting a source. “One of the reasons is his fitness, which doesn’t meet international standards.”
“He needs to work hard, perhaps shed some weight, and come back leaner and fitter because batting fitness is not the sole criterion for selection,” the report quoted the source as saying.
According to the report, fitness is not the only reason for his exclusion. “His conduct on and off the field hasn’t been top-notch. Certain things said, certain gestures made, and some incidents have been taken note of. A more disciplined approach would benefit him greatly. Hopefully, Sarfaraz, along with his father and coach Naushad Khan, will work on those aspects,” the report said.
During the 2022 Ranji Trophy final, Sarfaraz’s behavior during a break had irked MP coach and Mumbai stalwart Chandrakant Pandit.
(With inputs from agencies)