Sarfaraz Khan’s non-selection in Team India’s Test squad continues to be one of the biggest puzzles in Indian cricket. The Mumbai batter is one of the deserving cricketers to be part of the West Indies tour for his consistent performance in the domestic circuit but was snubbed once again by the selectors as he failed to make it to the squad for the upcoming two-match Test series.
Indian team selectors and management face the wrath of the fans and experts over the non-selection of Sarfaraz Khan in the team despite performing consistently in domestic cricket. The prolific run-scorer in the domestic circuit has scored 556 runs in 6 games in the 2022 season with the help of three centuries and an average of more than 90.
Many deserving performers for the domestic cricketer were snubbed from the test squad, leaving an impression that selection was based on the player’s form in the IPL. Here are five players like Sarfaraz Khan whose International career seems to be over even before it began.
1. Baba Indrajith
Baba Indrajith has been one of the most consistent batters on the circuit for a good few seasons now. He is used to batting at number 3 for Tamil Nadu and the South zone in domestic cricket. The 29-year-old top-order batter averages 51.85 in first-class cricket, despite the Tamil Nadu batter failing to make it into the squad for the West Indies tour.
Indrajith worked hard in Indian domestic cricket and can be a key player for the Indian team in the forthcoming years if provided an opportunity. He has got excellent technical skills in his batting to bat in any conditions in the world. Indian veteran cricketers Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran rate him as one of the best test cricketers in India at the moment but with the emergence of Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ruturaj Gaikwad it is highly unlikely that Indrajith would be given an opportunity any time soon.
2. Abhimanyu Easwaran
Abhimanyu Easwaran is another deserving candidate, who missed out on the team to West Indies, having been in and out of the Indian test team for quite some time. The Bengal batter has always been a part of India’s ‘A’ team and has been waiting a long time for his turn in the senior team.
The Right-handed batter has an impressive first-class record in domestic cricket he has accumulated 6556 runs in 87 matches at an average of 47.85 with 22 hundred to his name. In the last series against Bangladesh, he led India A during the tour of Bangladesh and has been a standout performer for the team scoring. 141 in the first game and 157 in the second game in away conditions.
The team management might be tempted to give Ruturaj Gaikwad an opportunity to open the innings in the longer format of the game once Rohit Sharma hangs his boots and it would difficult for the Bengal opener to seal a place in the Indian team.
3. Priyank Panchal
Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal also performed well in domestic cricket but was not given the chance at the highest level. With a First-Class experience of 100 matches, Priyank Panchal has scored over 7000 runs including 26 centuries and 31 fifties, including a best of 314 not out, which he amassed against Punjab in a breakout 2016-17 season.
The Right-handed batter has got excellent composure and temperament to play the game in the longer format of the game as phases his innings very well in domestic cricket. The Gujarat Opener has shown that he has the calibre and temperament to endure long stays at the crease and score heavily once settled in. With the age not on his side, It would be tough for the Indian batter to make a comeback in the Indian colours in the future.
4. Arzan Nagwaswalla
Arzan Nagwaswalla was consistent for Gujarat in the domestic circuit as he performed exceptionally well for his side in the Ranji trophy and has made a name for himself following terrific domestic in 2019 as he picked up 41 wickets in the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season where Gujarat made it to the semifinal round. The left-arm fast bowler can bowl around 135kmph and can swing the ball well, which can be vital for India in both home and overseas conditions, as he grinded hard in domestic circuits.
Arzan Nagwaswalla was part of the standby players’ group along with Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, and Abhimanyu Easwaran during the 2021 World Test Championship final, but the pacer is nowhere near to making it into the India squad, as the selectors have trusted to go in Mukesh Kumar and Jaydev Unadkat for the next World Test Championship cycle starting in West Indies.
5. Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar is one of the emerging stars in the country scoring big runs in domestic cricket. The 30-year-old was earlier ruled out of the Indian Premier League due to an Achilles heel injury and has undergone surgery. The Right batter played a key role in the victory of Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.
Rajat was in fine form before the start of IPL 2023 and he has scored a half-century in each of his last seven first-class games and also had a terrific Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Madhya Pradesh where he scored 272 runs in six games at an average of 54.40. The Madhya Pradesh batter would be well below in pecking order to make it into the Indian side due to the recurring injury problem and it would be a huge task for Rajat Patidar to make it into the Indian Test side in the future.