Sarfaraz might have to try batting at No.3 for Mumbai to remain in scheme of things

New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) The last time Sarfaraz Khan played for India A, he scored 92 against England Lions in Canterbury and during the games against Australia A last month, he was still recuperating at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

On Tuesday, when the national selection committee picked the Indian squad for the two first-class games against South Africa A, Sarfaraz, who will celebrate his 28th birthday on Wednesday, didn't find his name in two separate squads to be led by Rishabh Pant.

While Sarfaraz, who has recently shed a lot of weight and looks leaner than ever, has every right to feel aggrieved, but if one looks at the decision from Ajit Agarkar and the Indian team management's perspective, it might not seem as controversial as the social media is making it out to be.

It is understood that Pant, who is making a competitive comeback, will be batting at No.5 in both the games, which is normally his permanent slot in the Indian team too.

There is a school of thought among selectors that Sarfaraz should only be tried in that slot where the Indian team management is still not quite sure, and, right now, it is No. 3 where B Sai Sudharsan is trying to make a mark.

Sudharsan is also a part of the India A team in both the games and is the deputy to Pant and will bat at No.3 in these games.

"Sarfaraz should have a chat with the Mumbai team management and also with their senior-most player Ajinkya Rahane and, maybe, try out batting at No. 3 where he might have to play the new ball. If he keeps batting at No. 5 or 6, it won't help. India have more all-round options for those slots.

"Pant, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Reddy... if all are fit and available (they) will occupy the middle-order, being multi-skilled players. When Pant is injured it will be Dhruv Jurel batting at No. 5 or 6," a former national selector privy to the developments told PTI.

Truth be told, Sarfaraz's four consecutive failures against New Zealand on rank turners did become his undoing and has put him slightly behind in the pecking order.

With batting slot Nos. 1, 2 and 4 now locked in the Test team and Nos. 5-8 belonging to multi-skilled players (including batters), the only place left is No.3 and, maybe, the gutsy Mumbai batter needs to take a leap of faith and try out a new slot.

Two players, who got the nod ahead of Sarfaraz in the A team are Rajat Patidar, who didn't make an impression when he played three Tests against England in early 2024, and Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose talent many believe is unquestionable.

Patidar is in the middle of a purple patch having hit three hundreds, including a double ton and three fifties across his last eight innings in the last five first-class games, which included two Duleep, Irani and the opening Ranji Trophy match. The scores are 125, 66, 77, 101, 13, 66, 10 and 205 not out.

Gaikwad, in his last three first-class outings, has one daddy hundred (184), one near hundred (91) and another half-century.

In a lot of cases, it is not always about the tall scores that one posts in domestic cricket but the selection committee's take on who they think is better suited to get success at the bigger stages.

For this selection committee under Agarkar, they possibly see more potential in a Patidar and a Gaikwad compared to Sarfaraz. The Mumbai man has to keep on piling runs and check if batting at No. 3 and, maybe, facing an almost new ball in adverse conditions work in his favour or not. And also hope that Sudharsan by then doesn't cement his place in the squad. PTI KHS AM KHS AM AM