Sarfaraz Khan recently made his return to the Indian Test team for the two-match away Test series against Sri Lanka, but as an injury-replacement player. As Sarfaraz left everyone impressed, be it the coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, etc., with his batting, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said there’s a slim chance that the batter would even get to be added to India’s XI. For Ashwin, Dhruv Jurel will get the nod at the No. 6 spot over Sarfaraz Khan, simply because he was named in the original squad.

“Dhruv Jurel,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel. “You have brought back Sarfaraz Khan. He has come in place of Sai Sudharsan as an injury replacement. That’s one. And I think clear messaging to Sarfaraz Khan is also important. If someone feels, Sarfaraz can be suspect in some conditions, then you have to give him clarity ‘Sarfaraz, you will get an opportunity to serve the team in subcontinent conditions’. So, you don’t waste Sarfaraz’s time and focus on improving himself. He can become the King of the subcontinent, become a good player of spin,” Ashwin said.

R Ashwin also feels that, as far as sub-continent conditions are concerned, Sarfaraz Khan could become one of India’s most potent weapons. But, for him to build such a name for him, he needs to be given chances as well.

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“You need to keep the communication clear. You need to give him chances. If you think he is suspect, he needs to be told. Across the globe, people have specialists based on conditions. Take Australia, Australia have Peter Handscomb for subcontinent conditions. Usman Khawaja was brought back into the team to tackle spin, and he went on to become a regular opener,” R Ashwin shared again.

“We have always seen this management playing four spinners if there is help off the surface. But according to me, even on a turner, there is no need for four spinners. But Indian spinners bat a bit also, so they prefer playing four. I think you can play only one between Saransh and Kuldeep. You have to give Kuldeep a chance. He deserves the chance to succeed or fail. Give him both games and then decide. He has the skill and ability. He will be feeling pressure, as he has not played and needs confidence, so the captain and management has to rally around him,” he said.

“In Test cricket, picking 20 wickets is a priority. Adding 10-20 extra runs is second priority. If you need more runs, demand that the bowlers hold up. We used to do this with Vikram Rathour, that if a new batter came to bat in any condition and was a lower-order batter, he would be given a target that, in the first 10-20 balls, the set batter would play more. So it gives them time to feel themselves in. Set small templates and build in such a way that they also become able with the bat,” he concluded.