“I am very sad and feel sorry for him”: R Ashwin reacts to Sarfaraz Khan’s snub by Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel

Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel is facing flak for its questionable selection procedure. The decision-makers didn’t consider Sarfaraz Khan for the India A series against South Africa A despite his run-scoring spree and improved fitness. Sarfaraz has been the best batter in domestic cricket for years, but the selectors are not treating him fairly. Former Indian players are surprised by the exclusion of the young batter, and they have hit out at the officials.

Legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is pained after the right-handed batter was ignored for the upcoming series.

In six Tests for India, Sarfaraz has scored 371 runs, which includes a hundred against New Zealand in 2024. He was selected for the tour of Australia, but was benched for the five-Test series.

He was dropped after the assignment. He went to England with the India A side and scored 92 in one of the innings before getting injured. He shed 17 kilograms before scoring two tons in the Buchi Babu tournament.

“There is a problem in your communication and selection. Subramaniam Badrinath and Manoj Tiwary played for India A for a long time. There was a time when they were dropped as selectors wanted to try new faces, and the two were informed that they won’t be playing for India A anymore, and if there is a place in the Indian team, they will be considered,” Ashwin said.

“But the current India A side is gripped with confusion. If they say that we have seen enough of Sarfaraz in India A, and only if he is needed in the Indian team, they will pick him. This will be wrong. Abhimanyu Easwaran has played a lot for India A, but he was still selected,” he added.

Ashwin is clueless about Sarfaraz’s non-selection. “I don’t have an explanation when it comes to Sarfaraz’s exclusion. I am sad and feel sorry for him. He has reduced his weight and scored a hundred in his last Test series. There is someone who is thinking that we have seen enough of him and we don’t want him.”

Ashwin feels that India A snub could mean the end of Sarfaraz’s chances to play for India.

“If I were Sarfaraz, I would be thinking about my chances of playing for the Indian team. It is like the doors have been shut. Where will he perform now? If scores run in first-class cricket, they will say he is only good in domestic cricket. So he won’t get picked for India A. Where will he go to prove himself? It seems someone from the management side or the selection panel is no longer looking at him.”