"Sarfaraz Doesn't Need India A Game": Ignored India Star Drops Bombshell

Sarfaraz Khan doesn't need India A exposure tours and series to play international cricket as the middle-order India batter can find his way back into the Test side with runs in domestic cricket, said Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur on Friday. Sarfaraz, who made his Test debut against England in the Rajkot Test of 2023-24 season, was a part of India's tour of Australia late last year but he has been ignored for the Test side since then. The 28-year-old Sarfaraz, who last played in the Mumbai Test against New Zealand for his overall six Test appearances for India, was also ignored for the India A series against South Africa A recently.

"Nowadays, for the India A side, they look at boys, who they want to prepare for international cricket," India all-rounder and Mumbai captain Thakur told the media.

"Sarfaraz doesn't need India A game to play international cricket. If he gets back to scoring again, he can straight away go and play Test series also," he said.

Even as Sarfaraz failed to convert his starts in both the innings, Mumbai recorded their first-ever victory over Jammu and Kashmir in their first Ranji Trophy match.

"He is coming from injury lay-off. But before that, he scored two-three centuries in the Buchi Babu Trophy before getting injured.

"Coming back against J&K in the previous match, he had a nice 40 (42). It was very unfortunate to have been run out. But for him, I don't think playing India A is important," Thakur said.

Thakur expressed confidence that Sarfaraz will be able to come good in coming games as Mumbai look to build on their strong start.

"He is a senior pro and whenever we put him in there in the 22 yards, he is someone who always delivers in crunch situations," Thakur said.

"He has big scores of 200-250s and those innings have come when the team was two or three down quite early in the innings. To play that kind of innings under pressure, you have to have something special in you." "He is one of the special players who never disappoints to perform and put up big scores. He has done it for years and years. Regardless of which number he bats, I think he will deliver," Thakur added.

The 42-time winners will now take on Chhattisgarh for their first home game starting here at the BKC Ground.

In other Group D matches of the second round, Jammu and Kashmir will look to bounce back after their defeat when they take on a confident Rajasthan, who won their season opener against Chhattisgarh, at Srinagar's Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium.

Delhi will take on Himachal Pradesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium whereas Puducherry will face Hyderabad in their backyard.

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