The first Test will begin on June 20 in Leeds.
When the world was busy with the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Sarfaraz Khan lost nearly 10 kgs to prepare for the England Test series. He was picked for the India A but was left out of the main squad. Former India cricketer and renowned commentator Aakash Chopra voiced his support for Sarfaraz, saying the Mumbaikar has done no wrong to be omitted from India’s squad.
With a stunning 76-ball hundred in a two-day intra-squad match and a 92-run knock against the England Lions in the first unofficial Test, the 27-year-old batter has sent a powerful message.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said, “Sarfaraz Khan hasn’t done anything wrong thus far. In fact, he hasn’t done anything wrong till now. The one match he played, he scored 90-plus runs. He couldn’t score a hundred, but he scored runs. After that, you didn’t play him in the next match, and he is not part of the Test team.”
The right-hand batter made his debut against England at home last year and scored three fifties to announce himself at the highest level. He played a solid 150-run innings in the first Test against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, he didn’t get a chance to play in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Down Under.
“He did not even play a single match in Australia; in fact, he was not even part of the conversation. So, in such a scenario, one might think that something wrong is happening with him. What has he done wrong? Maybe absolutely nothing. But he is not getting a place in the XI. In fact, he is not in the scheme of things, which is a little sad if your name is Sarfaraz Khan,” he said.
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Overall, Sarfaraz has amassed 371 runs in 11 innings across six Tests at an average of 37.10, which includes a hundred and three fifties. Notably, he is yet to play in a Test match outside India.
“He hasn’t failed in England, Australia, and South Africa thus far, but you haven’t given him a chance. It is not a good story. I can understand if you don’t have confidence in his technique or playing style, that he might not be able to score runs there, then you have to take a call. Then don’t send him with India A also, because you have a preconceived notion,” he added.
However, his exclusion paved the way for Karun Nair, who has had a memorable domestic season across all formats. Nair scored a double hundred against the England Lions, proving his selection right. But with this staggering performance, Sarfaraz Khan has once again thrown his hat into the ring.
As India are all set to enter a new era under the new leadership of Shubman Gill, the five-match Test series in the UK will start on June 20.
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