Ravichandran Ashwin stunned after Sarfaraz Khan's India A omission

Former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lost his cool after Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan was left out of the India A squad for the upcoming four-day series against South Africa A. The decision came as a surprise to many, considering Sarfaraz’s solid domestic record and brilliant performances for India in 2024. Having made his Test debut earlier in 2024 against England, the 26-year-old averages over 65 in first-class cricket.

Khan, despite scoring heavily in domestic cricket and registering a century against New Zealand in Bengaluru, was overlooked for the India A red-ball squad. The senior men’s selection committee instead opted for younger names like Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar. This came despite Sarfaraz recently recovering from injury and scoring a half-century for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. Ashwin, who played alongside Sarfaraz in six Tests, openly questioned the selectors’ decision, saying it sends a demotivating message to consistent domestic performers.

"I can't find any logic behind Sarfaraz's non-selection in the India A side. I feel very, very sad for him. If I were a selector, what would I call and tell Sarfaraz? He has reduced weight, he has scored runs too, he even hit a century against New Zealand. This kind of non-selection leads me to think that someone, somewhere thinks, 'Sarfaraz Khan ko dekh liya, abhi nahi chahiye (We've seen Sarfaraz Khan, don't need him anymore).' He has not been selected in the India A side. What happens to him now? Literally, the door has been shut on him. Where will he perform? Now if he does well in first-class cricket, they will say he is a very good player in first-class, so he won't get an A series. Where will he go and prove his credentials?" Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Drawing comparisons with players like Subramaniam Badrinath and Manoj Tiwary, Ashwin stated that communication and selection policies must align. He mentioned that while selectors claim to be looking at fresh faces,” players like Abhimanyu Easwaran, who have long been part of the India A setup, continue to find a place.

"The problem is that your communication and selection should match. I remember Subramaniam Badrinath used to play for the India A team and was the captain as well for a long time, but did not get selected. The same happened to Manoj Tiwary. The communication that went through was that 'we have seen enough of you, and now we want to take a look at fresh faces. So you won't be playing for the India A team anymore, but if we need you in the Indian team, we will pick you," he added.

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BCCI opens up on Sarfaraz's omission

Meanwhile, the BCCI finally broke its silence on the matter. According to board sources, Sarfaraz’s omission was not due to bias or poor form but rather fitness concerns and limited recent match practice. The source mentioned that the right-hander had only played one competitive game since returning from a quadriceps injury. Selectors are reportedly waiting to assess his form over the ongoing Ranji season before drafting him back into the India A setup.

"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," the source told NDTV. "Hopefully, he will get his chances soon," the official said as quoted by NDTV.