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Sarfaraz Khan’s India A snub revenge plan backfires in dramatic Ranji Trophy setback
What was meant to be a statement innings turned into a day of frustration for Sarfaraz Khan
It was a day to forget for Sarfaraz Khan at the MCA Cricket Ground in Mumbai on Saturday, as the India batter, who sought to hit back and let his bat do the talking after being denied a spot in the India A team earlier this week, was dismissed cheaply in his Ranji Trophy outing. What was meant to be a statement innings turned into a day of frustration for Sarfaraz.
On the pace-friendly surface of the Bandra-Kurla Complex, Sarfaraz was undone by Chattisgarh's left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate, as his innings lasted just six deliveries. He attempted a lofted stroke over the onside off Sarwate, but ended up picking out Shashank Singh in the deep. The Mumbai batter was dismissed for just one run in his first game at home this season. Earlier, he had scored 42 and 32 in Mumbai's campaign opener against Jammu and Kashmir last week in Srinagar.
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Sarfaraz's Mumbai role remains unchanged
Earlier this week, a PRI report revealed that Sarfaraz's exclusion from the India A team was due to Rishabh Pant's return as a captain. The wicketkeeper-batter is set to return to competitive action in the home series against South Africa A, starting next week, for the first time since being sidelined with a toe injury earlier in the summer during the tour of England. And with Pant set to bat at his usual No. 5 spot in both games, selectors found no logic in picking Sarfaraz, also a middle-order batter, to only warm the bench.
However, a former national selector, privy to the developments, told the news agency that if Sarfaraz can have a word with Mumbai team management and can start batting at No. 3 in the Ranji side, he could still stand a chance to crack into the Indian team. "Sarfaraz should have a chat with the Mumbai team management and also with their senior-most player, Ajinkya Rahane, and, maybe, try out batting at No. 3 where he might have to play the new ball. If he keeps batting at No. 5 or 6, it won't help. India have more all-round options for those slots," he said.
In the current Indian Test setup, No. 3 is the only position for which management is still uncertain, although they are willing to give left-hander Sai Sudharsan a long rope. Earlier in the England Test series, Karun Nair was experimented with at No. 3, and the veteran batter failed to impress, after which he wasn't recalled.
