The India A team is often considered a gateway to the senior national side. It does not guarantee selection, but it does indicate that a player is firmly within the selectors’ scheme of things. And when an opening arises in the senior team, a strong performance for India A, or in the tour games preceding an international series, can often strengthen a player’s case for a place in the Indian dressing room.
But what happens when India A itself fails to provide a clear alternative when an opening suddenly emerges? Sarfaraz Khan, as things reportedly stand, was the answer to that question ahead of India’s upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka.
A spate of injuries in the Indian squad opened up a spot after No. 3 batter Sai Sudharsan failed to recover from an injury sustained during the red-ball India A series in Sri Lanka earlier last month. The left-handed batter, who scored 132 in the opening game against Sri Lanka A, was widely expected to take up the No. 3 role. However, the BCCI selectors were forced to rule him out on Sunday after he failed to meet the fitness deadline for the series.
According to a report in the Times of India, Ruturaj Gaikwad was the likely alternative, with the selectors having identified him as a prospective middle-order option. However, his poor run in the India A series — scores of 22, 1 and 13 — meant the selectors had to look beyond the A squad for a replacement.
Saikh Raseed was another option. The young batter, who has been on the selection committee’s radar for some time, was also part of the India A squad and scored 45, 63 and 20 in his three innings.
However, with Sri Lanka expected to offer spin-friendly conditions, the report said the selectors and team management wanted a batter with the game to succeed on such tracks. That brought Sarfaraz back into the equation. With a First-Class average of 64.73 from 62 matches, the Mumbai batter emerged as the preferred option.
Sarfaraz made his India Test debut in 2024 during the home series against England, scoring three half-centuries in his first three innings. Later that year, he followed it up with a brilliant 150 against New Zealand, although a string of low scores in his next four innings saw his place come under scrutiny.
He was subsequently picked for India’s tour of Australia but did not get a single game and eventually fell out of the reckoning. Sarfaraz did make a statement in the India A series against England last year, scoring 92, but it was not enough to earn him a place in the senior squad for the tour.
