The Indian cricket fraternity has been rooting for Sarfaraz Khan to get a national call-up and when he was once again dropped from the squad for the first two Tests against Australia next month, everyone was in for a shock. He has been brilliant in the last three seasons of Ranji Trophy. And now Sarfaraz talks about his feelings after the team selection and also shares his recent discussion with chief selector Chetan Sharma.
In the 2019/20 Ranji Trophy season, Sarfaraz Khan scored 928 runs at 154.66. In the next edition, he scored 982 runs at 122.75 in 2021/22. And in the ongoing edition, he has scored 801 runs at 89 so far. His incredible run in three consecutive seasons has left him with a career first-class average of 80.47, only second best among batsmen with at least 50 innings. And he is second only to Sir Don Bradman.
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Talking about this during a conversation with Times of India, Sarfaraz Khan said, ‘I was very sad when the team was announced and my name was not in it. Anyone in my place in this world would have been sad, because I expected to be selected, but was not (selected). Yesterday, when we came from Guwahati to Delhi, I was sad all day and could not sleep all night. I was wondering what and why this happened. I was feeling very lonely. I cried too.
Very tough on Sarfaraz Khan who has literally broken the door on first class cricket. You can’t do more than what he has.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 13, 2023
He further said, ‘Wherever I go, I hear voices that he will soon play for India. There are thousands of messages on social media talking about my exclusion. Everyone says that your time will also come. But now after talking to my father, I have become normal. I will never stop practicing, I will not go into depression. Don’t worry, I’ll keep trying.”
Sarfaraz Khan made a shocking revelation that he was asked by the selectors to be ready for the Bangladesh series during the 2021/22 Ranji Trophy final in June. But he was not selected. The selectors had also met him recently.
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The flamboyant batsman elaborated, “During the Ranji Trophy final in Bangalore, when I scored a century, I met the selectors. I was told that ‘you will get a chance in Bangladesh’. Be ready for that. Recently, I met Chetan Sharma sir (chief selector) when we were checking into the hotel in Mumbai. He told me not to be discouraged, and said that my time would come. Good things take time to happen. You are very close (for the India berth). You’ll get your chance. So, I had expectations when I played another important innings. But that’s okay.
