The BCCI on Tuesday introduced the India A squad for the 2 four-day matches towards South Africa A scheduled on the BCCI Heart of Excellence in Bengaluru. Notably, Sarfaraz Khan, who final appeared for India within the house collection towards New Zealand in November 2024, has been dominated out from each matches.
Sarfaraz Khan lately made his return to aggressive cricket as he represented Mumbai within the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 opening match towards Jammu and Kashmir. The appropriate-handed batsman scored 42 runs and 32 runs within the two innings in Mumbai’s victory. Remarkably, he has lately misplaced loads of weight and appears more healthy than ever earlier than in his profession.
Sarfaraz Khan’s elimination from India raises eyebrows amongst troops
Sarfaraz Khan’s continued omission from the Indian squad has raised questions. The 27-year-old scored 92 runs towards the England Lions throughout India A’s tour of England, finishing an unbeaten document within the intra-team that featured Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
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Sarfaraz Khan has been one in all India’s most constant red-ball performers, scoring 2,467 runs within the final 5 years, together with 10 centuries and 5 centuries, at a mean of 117.47.
Nonetheless, the younger batsman has struggled in latest matches for India, scoring 11, 9, 0 and 1 with rank turners towards New Zealand in Pune and Mumbai. Regardless of being in Australia for the Take a look at collection, Devdutt Padikkal (who was not within the unique squad) and Dhruv Jhuler got an opportunity earlier.
Sarfaraz Khan out of India squad as group focuses on Ranji Trophy
In keeping with a report within the Occasions of India, Sarfaraz Khan’s omission from India A’s red-ball squad doesn’t imply the tip of his possibilities of taking part in in Exams. The selectors reportedly need him to get constant match observe within the Ranji Trophy after his harm.
He was additionally thought of to play within the second match, however key gamers like KL Rahul most well-liked to play as India put together for the two-match Take a look at collection at house towards South Africa.
“It’s not right to say that he’s not even within the Indian Take a look at squad or that the door is closed for him. He’s a gifted participant. The truth is that the selectors need Sarfaraz to play as many matches as attainable within the Ranji Trophy after he returns from harm,” a BCCI supply advised TOI.
“If he had been included on this squad, he would have missed the subsequent few rounds of the Ranji Trophy. There was an thought to incorporate him within the squad for the second match, however then all of the Indian gamers like KL Rahul are eager to play in that match to get some match observe forward of the two-Take a look at collection at house towards South Africa.”
Teenage opener Ayush Maatle earns sudden choice in India A
Ayush Maatle has been given a shock call-up to the India A squad. The teenage opener solely scored 38 runs at 12.66 within the two U-19 Exams towards Australia and 10 runs at 3.33 within the three Youth ODIs.
Nonetheless, his father Yogesh Maatle described the selection as a “Diwali present”. He thanked the selectors for giving his son an opportunity to show himself. Yogesh admitted that Ayush’s particular person efficiency in Australia was not overwhelming.
“This can be a shock Diwali present for us. It is a distinctive alternative for him. This season hasn’t gone nicely for him, however he’s nonetheless being given a very good platform to carry out. I’ve to go with the mindset of the selectors who’ve invested in him,” Yogesh Maatle advised TOI.
“Though Ayush couldn’t rating runs in Australia, he was glad that India received all of the matches on the tour. The gamers had been additionally glad along with his captaincy,” he added.
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