Ex-India opener Aakash Chopra has lashed out at the Indian selectors after they overlooked Sarfaraz Khan and picked Suryakumar Yadav in the squad for the first two Tests against Australia next month.
Notably, Sarfaraz Khan has been scoring heavily in the domestic circle, with his numbers in the Ranji Trophy being exemplary, to say the least.
During the last Ranji season, Sarfaraz Khan made 982 runs with four tons and two fifties at an astounding average of 122.75. His highest score in the 2021-22 season was 275. In the ongoing essay of the tournament, he has already collected 801 runs at a highly impressive average of 89.
Overall, Sarfaraz Khan has scored 3,380 runs in 36 first-class matches at an excellent average of 80.47. Since making his debut in 2014, the middle-order batter has hit 12 hundreds and nine half-centuries, including a highest score of 301 in the premier domestic competition for Mumbai.
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav's first-class record stands in the pale shadow of Sarfaraz Khan. Though the India white-ball specialist has amassed 5,549 with 14 tons and 28 fifties, his average is not that impressive. Unlike Sarfaraz Khan, Suryakumar Yadav only averages 44.75 in Ranji Trophy and that's why Aakash Chopra was left baffled by Suryakumar Yadav's inclusion in the Indian Test squad.
Aakash Chopra went as far as to say that Sarfaraz Khan has been “cheated on” by the Indian selectors as he has been ignored despite consistently posting stupendous numbers in the domestic circuit.
“There was a bit of an opening in the Test squad…was hoping that Sarfaraz will make it to the squad. He's done everything that one could do to deserve a call-up,” Aakash Chopra wrote on Twitter.
“Sarfaraz's name is still not there. He feels he got cheated because his name should probably have come. Bumrah is still not there. That's another news but I am more concerned that Sarfaraz is not there. When you picked Surya, it means a slot had opened up. In my opinion, Sarfaraz should have gotten that chance because Sarfaraz's first-class average is 80. Apart from him, only Don Bradman has an average of 80 or more in the number of matches he has played,” Aakash Chopra added on his YouTube channel.
“So he has done everything in his powers to be in the Indian team. I am a little disappointed, that if you had a chance to select even one guy, because both Surya and Sarfaraz don't come in the XI, Sarfaraz had the right in my opinion. If someone's domestic season is going so good, you should have rewarded him,” he remarked.
Among others who were left stunned by the Indian selectors' move were former India pacer Dodda Ganesh, noted commentator Harsha Bhogle and a battery of his fans.
“Very hard on Sarfaraz Khan who has literally broken the door down in first class cricket. You can't do more than he has,” Harsha Bhogle wrote on the microblogging platform.
“Spare a thought for Sarfaraz khan. I don't understand what else he needs to do to get into the test team,” Dodda Ganesh tweeted.
“If Surya Kumar Yadav can get picked to the Indian Test squad based on his recent T20I performances, then WHY not Sarfaraz Khan on his recent first-class performances in domestic games?” cricket statistician Mohandas Menon commented.
“Suryakumar Yadav enters the Test squad. He is literally living the dream. At the same time though, feel bad for Sarfaraz Khan, whose First Class record is literally rivalling Don Bradman right now,” a fan opined.
“Selecting Suryakumar Yadav ahead of Sarfaraz Khan in Tests is an insult to Ranji Trophy. That guy has been one of the most consistent run-getters in First Class cricket and deserved that call-up more than anyone. Baffling selection by this committee, yet again,” another posted.
“As much as I love Suryakumar Yadav, his selection in the Test squad over Sarfaraz Khan leaves a sour taste. Make no mistake, Surya in whites is a super batter but Sarfaraz with that sort of record in Ranji Trophy deserved a call-up,” an Indian cricket lover elaborated.
“Sarfaraz Khan must be devasted! When will he get rewarded for his performances? A player who’s scoring tons every now and then and still doesn’t get picked while almost everyone else finds a place is something really tough to take!” a Twitter user argued.
India squad for first two Tests vs Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.
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