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'He has no problems against fast bowling. If he had...': Ganguly's towering claim on Sarfaraz after another India snub
Sourav Ganguly, who has worked with Sarfaraz Khan at Delhi Capitals, defended the Indian batter after another snub for the West Indies series.
Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's Test and ODI squads for the upcoming tour of the West Indies. While Cheteshwar Pujara's snub from the Test squad remained the major talking point from the announcement, the continual absence of domestic star Sarfaraz Khan irked many fans and former cricketers alike. Sarfaraz had been one of the top performers in Ranji Trophy over the past few years but is yet to get an international call-up.
Former India captain BCCI President has now joined the bandwagon as well, as he criticised the board's decision to snub Sarfaraz again. Ganguly also named Abhimanyu Easwaran, the Bengal batter, as one of the young players who should have been considered in the Test squad. In eight matches in 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, Easwaran scored 798 runs at an average of 66.50, smashing three centuries and as many half-centuries.
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Sarfaraz, meanwhile, played only six matches as he was forced to miss matches for Mumbai due to illness, but boasted of an incredible average of 92.66, scoring 556 runs.
Ganguly did laud Yashasvi Jaiswal's selection in the Indian Test team, though.
“I think Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored tons of runs in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy. I think that's why he is in the squad. I feel for Sarfaraz Khan. At some point he should get an opportunity for the amount of runs that he has scored in past three years,” Ganguly told PTI.
“And same thing for Abhimanyu Easwaran for the tons of runs he has scored in last five to six years. I am surprised that both of them have been omitted but they should get a chance in future. But Yashasvi Jasiwal is a good selection.”
The former BCCI President has seen Sarfaraz from close quarters as Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals and he isn't amused with the perception that he can't play fast bowling.
"If you don't play him (Sarfaraz) against fast bowling, how do you know?" he countered.
“If he had problems he wouldn't have scored so many runs all around (India). I personally feel he has no problems against fast bowling and he should be given an opportunity.”
