Gavaskar Acknowledges Selectors’ ‘Tough’ Decision

Sunil Gavaskar, the celebrated former cricketer, has shared his thoughts on the exclusion of middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan from the Indian squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, which is slated to begin on June 20.

As the national team, a two-time World Test Championship (WTC) finalist, prepares to start a fresh chapter with Shubman Gill potentially at the helm, Sarfaraz, whose debut against England occurred last year, has been unable to solidify his place in the team’s lineup.

The right-handed batsman, who achieved a century in the initial Test of a three-match home series versus New Zealand during November of the previous year, posted modest scores of 11, nine, zero, and one in his subsequent four innings.

He was an unused substitute during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) and was eventually dropped from the squad altogether.

In response to Sarfaraz’s omission, Gavaskar emphasized that the batsman should have guaranteed his spot by consistently accumulating runs.

“It’s a difficult situation, but that’s the nature of cricket. When opportunities arise, it’s crucial to secure your position. Even after scoring a century, it’s important not to dwell on past achievements in the subsequent innings. You need to re-establish yourself and score runs again, ensuring that no one has the chance to displace you from the team,” Gavaskar stated.

“It’s ultimately your responsibility to solidify that spot. Persistence is key, and you must continue to strive for selection.”
Nevertheless, Sunil Gavaskar recognized that it was a challenging decision by the selectors to drop Sarfaraz Khan following the BGT, particularly since the batsman was unable to participate in domestic cricket due to an injury.

“I believe it’s a hard call because, following the tour of Australia, there was no red-ball cricket. While the Ranji Trophy was available, he was sidelined due to injury, preventing him from showcasing his form.”

“You must perform at an indispensable level. History shows that in series defeats, those players ranked 13th, 14th, and 15th in the squad often face the axe. Seize your opportunities,” he concluded.