Former India batsman Dilip Vengsarkar hit out the selectors for ignoring Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sarfaraz Khan in the 2-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting on March 4.
The selectors made wholesale changes in the squad after India faced a 1-2 defeat against South Africa. Veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, and Ishant Sharma have been sidelined as they are eying to look for the future.
Dilip Vengsarkar is surprised that Ranji Trophy performers couldn’t get any attention from the selectors. Mumbai middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan has terrific numbers in red-ball cricket.
In the Ranji Trophy season 2019-20 season, he scored 928 runs in 6 matches with an average of 154.67. And as Ranji Trophy made a comeback after a season, Sarfaraz Khan again smashed 275 against Saurashtra in the very first innings of the season.
Ruturaj Gaikwad also had terrific numbers in Vijay Hazare Trophy and since then he has been inducted into limited-overs squads however he didn’t get any chance in the playing XI. Dilip Vengsarkar opined that a couple of selected players haven’t done much to get a chance for the longest format.
Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 603 runs in 5 innings in Vijay Hazare Trophy
“It seems there isn’t application of mind (by the selectors) when the team is selected. How can one explain the omission of Ruturaj and Sarfaraz, who are two of the most prolific scorers in domestic cricket.
“Looking at the team, a couple of players, though talented, haven’t done much to merit their place in the squad. Let every player earn his place in the team and not take it for granted,” Vengsarkar spoke to TOI.
“Ruturaj and Sarfaraz deserve a place. The selectors are damaging their morale by not selecting them for India,” he added.
The first Test match between India and Sri Lanka will be played at Mohali from March 4. The second match will be played with a pink ball under lights in Bengaluru from March 8. The series will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023. Currently, India is sitting at no.5 with 4 wins in 9 test matches so far.
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