Flamboyant Sarfaraz Khan came onto the radar of team management for his outstanding performance in the series against England early this year. In the series, the 26-year-old right-handed batter played three matches and scored 200 runs with a bright average of 50. His performance brought him a ticket to a two-match Test series against Bangladesh as a significant milestone in his career.
However, Sarfaraz had a below-par outing in the Duleep Trophy 2024. The right-handed batsman for India B scored nine runs in the first innings and 46 in the second inning of the opening game against India A. Though he showed his natural aggressive intent in the second innings, he could not convert it into a big score.
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It might just make it a tad complicated to get him back into the playing XI in the case of the Bangladesh series, not to mention the threat from KL Rahul, who scored a half-century in the Duleep Trophy. KL Rahul is an experienced campaigner and has done enough in whatever little opportunities he has had to feature in Tests lately. Sarfaraz’s aggression against Rahul’s composure- team management must have a tough choice on their hands.
INDIAN CRICKET UPDATES. [Kushan Sarkar from PTI]
– KL Rahul is likely to start ahead of Sarfaraz Khan.
– Musheer Khan is set to play for India A in Australia tour.
– A close competition for the 3rd spin option between Axar vs Kuldeep. pic.twitter.com/5WgGBWdjzE— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 9, 2024
According to a source close to the BCCI, the current equation is slightly in Rahul’s favor. The source went on to say that Rahul wasn’t dropped; he had missed the last four Tests against England because of injury. His track record – a century in South Africa and 86 in Hyderabad recently – isn’t bad and works in his favour, the source added. A recent fifty in the Duleep Trophy seems to have him primed for a return to the playing XI.
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The source said that though Sarfaraz has done nothing wrong, experience has made Rahul important, particularly with Australia coming up next. If there is an injury, Sarfaraz would be the obvious choice, but at the moment, experience seems to override everything else.
The Indians are to reassemble in Chennai on September 12 and go through a week-long training camp ahead of their first Test against Bangladesh starting on September 19.
