Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that Sarfaraz Khan doesn’t seem to be in contention for a spot in India’s playing XI for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 as well. He also urged the Indian team management to give the middle-order batter a chance if they consider him worthy enough to be in the squad as well. The first Test will be played in Perth from Friday, November 22, onwards.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Can Sarfaraz not be considered at all? Although you and I might have less confidence in him, it doesn’t make a difference what you, I or the team think about him. If you have taken him along, it’s your duty to try him at least. Without trying, you cannot tell anyone that you are not enjoying playing him, especially a player who is tried and tested. You played him and he scored 150. You played him against England before that and he scored runs. So after scoring runs, you cannot tell anyone that there is a chance and a place but you would play someone else ahead of him.”
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“Bowlers are conditions-applied but batters are not conditions-applied. Sarfaraz cannot remain a subcontinental batter. If you don’t play him here, you will have to play him in England, or else you will have to drop him. Then how will you tell him why you did that? If he can be in the squad of 18 or 19, why not in the XI?” Chopra again shared.
In the same video, Aakash Chopra also stated that Devdutt Padikkal being asked to stay back with the team shows that he has a great chance of playing the Perth Test as well.
“Ruturaj Gaikwad has been sent back. Sai Sudharsan has also been sent back. They have asked only Devdutt Padikkal to stay back. It means his chances of playing the first Test match have become slightly bright. As per reports, don’t keep a gun to my head, I don’t know for sure, I am only telling what I am reading or hearing, the Indian team don’t have confidence in Abhimanyu Easwaran. So Devdutt Padikkal has been asked to stay back. In all likelihood, KL Rahul will be seen opening. You might see Devdutt Padikkal batting at No. 3 and after that, you have Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel. Sarfaraz’s name is not there in the top six as of now,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
