Discover the astonishing statistics of Sarfaraz Khan, the Mumbai star who remains overlooked by India’s selectors. Explore his remarkable batting record and why he deserves a spot on the national team.
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Sarfaraz Khan: The Ignored Mumbai Star with Mind-Boggling Numbers
Sarfaraz Khan, the prodigious talent from Mumbai, continues to be disregarded by the Indian cricket selectors, despite his exceptional achievements. While the omission of his name from India’s Test squad against the West Indies has raised eyebrows, it prompts us to ponder what more this remarkable player needs to do to earn his rightful place.
The Missed Opportunity: India’s Selection Snub and West Indies’ Decline
Sarfaraz Khan’s name not being included in the Test squad for the forthcoming series against the West Indies has sparked a flurry of discussions within cricketing circles. Notably, Sarfaraz has yet to make his international debut at any level. Although the dropping of veteran Cheteshwar Pujara garnered significant attention, the absence of Sarfaraz has also been a contentious issue.
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disappointment, emphasizing that India missed a valuable chance to introduce promising talents like Sarfaraz in a series against a team that no longer wields the same dominance as before.
Considering the history of bilateral encounters between India and the West Indies, it becomes evident that former players’ remarks hold weight. The West Indies last triumphed over India in a Test series in 2002. Since then, regardless of the venue, India has emerged victorious in every series against the Caribbean side.
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The Mumbai Marvel’s Resurgence: Sarfaraz’s Second Coming
Though only 25 years old, Sarfaraz Khan has experienced a tumultuous journey. Once deemed a lost cause, he ventured to Uttar Pradesh to represent the state’s domestic team, leaving behind his beloved Mumbai. The move did not yield the desired results, and Sarfaraz was in a dilemma.
While making his debut for Uttar Pradesh with a stunning knock of 155, he struggled to find consistent playing time due to clashes with his India U19 commitments leading up to the 2016 World Cup. With this predicament, Sarfaraz made a bold decision—either play for Mumbai or bid farewell to cricket. He finalized his move back to his cricketing roots following a one-year cooling-off period.
Sarfaraz fine-tuned his attacking game to secure a place in the formidable Mumbai lineup, which often featured renowned players like Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, Aditya Tare, and Siddhesh Lad. In January 2020, he left an indelible mark by crafting an unbeaten 71 against Karnataka in the second inning.
The Deluge of Runs: Sarfaraz’s Dominance
Subsequently, a deluge of runs followed. During the 2019/20 season, Sarfaraz amassed a staggering 928 runs in just four innings, including scores of 301, 226 not out, 78, and 177. This phenomenal display of batting prowess translated into an astonishing average of nearly 155. In the following season (2021–2022), he continued his remarkable form, accumulating 982 runs in a mere nine innings, averaging an impressive 122.75. In the recently concluded Ranji season, Sarfaraz contributed significantly with 556 runs in six innings at an outstanding average of 92.66.
Sarfaraz Khan’s first-class statistics speak volumes about his exceptional talent: 3505 runs in 37 matches at an average of 79.65 and an impressive strike rate of 70.21. He is among the best first-class batters in history, with 13 centuries and nine half-centuries. His average ranks second only to the legendary Don Bradman, who boasted a mind-boggling average of 95.14 across 338 innings, accumulating 28,067 runs with 117 centuries and 69 half-centuries. Noteworthy players below Sarfaraz in this elite list include Vijay Merchant, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith, and Martin Crowe, among other game luminaries.
Dear @BCCI @JayShah
Why not #SarfarazKhan ?#INDvsWI pic.twitter.com/Sszlyt7b27— निष्कर्ष (Nishh) (@Nishkarsh1108) June 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/KL_Siku_Kumar/status/1672981612542443524
