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Sarfaraz Khan will be part of the Indian squad that will travel to Australia for the BGT (Border-Gavaskar Trophy) 2024-25 series, says Sanjay Manjrekar. Manjrekar backed Sarfaraz to shine in the five-Test series in Australia as well.

Sarfaraz Khan’s performance in Bengaluru would cause headaches for Australian bowlers in the upcoming Test series, according to the cricket analyst. He also urged that the Mumbai batter should be included in India’s XI for the Australia tour due to his wide repertoire of shots.

On Day 4 of the ongoing first Test against New Zealand, he demonstrated his resilience and talent on the tough field at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, scoring 150 runs off 195 balls, including 18 boundaries and three sixes.

Sanjay Manjrekar was quite pleased by Sarfaraz Khan’s ability to handle fast bowlers on a challenging surface at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, noting that his versatility makes him an ideal candidate for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024-25) in Australia.

Sarfaraz Khan has tremendous hand-eye coordination: Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar reckons that Sarfaraz Khan’s calm demeanor and exceptional hand-eye coordination could pose a serious threat to Australia’s star-studded bowling lineup, featuring Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.

Sanjay Manjrekar was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “Very happy to see the way he plays fast bowlers, and he has played fast bowlers before as well against England. This was a pitch very similar to the foreign pitches that we get, where there is a bit of pace and bounce. Interestingly, I am imagining him on a flatter pitch in Australia, where there isn’t a lot of seam movement.”

Majrekar further noted, “He is going to give migraines to those Australian bowlers because of the shots that he plays. There is certainty, there is calmness, and if you see the close-up of Sarfaraz, he watches the ball always on his bat. He has tremendous hand-eye coordination. His technique isn’t bad for Australia because he plays besides the line of the ball, which is always advantageous, and that shot to get to 100, some backfoot play as well.”

Sarfaraz could be a game-changer for Team India in their quest to record a hat-trick of Test series wins on Australian soil when they face the Kangaroos in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Sarfaraz should walk into the Indian playing XI on the Australia tour: Sanjay Manjrekar

Sarfaraz’s ability to adapt to the conditions and handle pressure gives him a viable contender to face Australia’s formidable bowling attack. And Manjrekar believes Sarfaraz should play at No. 4 or No. 5 to give Australia a significant difficulty.

“So, he can play those orthodox shots so he’s not just one-way traffic, you know, getting 70 percent of his runs in third man and fine leg. So, I’ll be very excited to see how he goes and he’s a definite candidate, should walk into that Indian playing XI at that position, maybe five, if not four, five and where the Kookaburra ball goes a little soft. Excited with the possibilities,” he signed off.