The former Indian cricketer, Sanjay Manjrekar has criticized the Indian men’s Test selectors for sidelining young Indian cricketer Sarfaraz Khan during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, despite his impressive performances in previous tours. Sarfaraz, who has an average of 37.10 from six Tests, last played for India in a match against New Zealand but was not included in the playing XI in Australia.
Sarfaraz made his Test debut against England in early 2024, showcasing his talent with three half-centuries to reinforce his exceptional domestic record. He followed this up with a remarkable 150 in the first Test against New Zealand at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, like many of his teammates, his performances declined in the subsequent three Tests as India suffered a 3-0 series whitewash. Despite these contributions, he was overlooked for the crucial series in Australia.
Sanjay Manjrekar also expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of Abhimanyu Easwaran, another prolific domestic run-scorer who was overlooked despite India’s evident struggles at the top of the order. The journalist coverage of Easwaran’s net sessions also drew Manjrekar’s ire, suggesting that preconceived notions influenced the selectors’ decisions.
While speaking on a show, Manjrekar remarked, “When we discussed the team before the first Test, I said it shouldn’t be such a straightforward decision to replace Sarfaraz Khan with KL Rahul. It felt like a lot of preemptive judgment was happening. People watched Abhimanyu Easwaran in a warm-up game and decided he wouldn’t get a chance. That’s not the right way to approach things because cricket is full of surprises.”
Manjrekar further criticized the abrupt treatment of Sarfaraz, stating, “Sarfaraz Khan earned his spot through a phenomenal first-class record. He delivered with three fifties and a 150, but then struggled in one Test and was completely discarded. That doesn’t seem fair to me.”
His comments reflect broader concerns about the selection process and the treatment of players who have proven their mettle in domestic cricket, only to be cast aside prematurely on the international stage.
