Published
By Pawan Atri · 4 min read
Former India pacer Dodda Ganesh was engaged in an ugly spat with a fan following his comments on Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan who was overlooked by the national selectors for the first two Tests against Australia next month.
Instead of Sarfaraz Khan, white-ball specialist Suryakumar Yadav was included in the 17-member side announced by the BCCI on Friday.
The first two Tests of the series against Australia will be played in Nagpur from February 9-13 and in Delhi between February 17-21.
After the announcement, an aghast Dodda Ganesh tweeted, “Spare a thought for Sarfaraz khan. I don’t understand what else he needs to do to get into the test team.”
Irked by Dodda Ganesh’s views, an Indian fan questioned his credentials and reminded him of his poor record as an international cricketer.
“Ok, keep your thoughts to yourself. We know how well these kids play against Australian fast bowlers. And we know how well u bowled when u were given chance. So better try not to get involved in selection,” the Team India supporter wrote in response to his tweet.
This left Dodda Ganesh fuming, who immediately hit back at the social media user.
“Do you have any sense of what are you talking? If, I being a former cricketer can’t opine on the game of cricket then you have no business talking about cricket. Agreed? It doesn’t take much to be kind, Sir. You seem to be educated. Learn some online etiquette,” Dodda Ganesh said in reply.
The heated Twitter exchange between the two came after many other former cricketers and fans raised their voices about the matter on various platforms.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra went as far as to say that Sarfaraz Khan has been “cheated on” by the Indian selectors as he has been ignored despite consistently posting stupendous numbers in the domestic circuit.
“There was a bit of an opening in the Test squad…was hoping that Sarfaraz will make it to the squad. He’s done everything that one could do to deserve a call-up,” Aakash Chopra wrote on Twitter.
“Sarfaraz’s name is still not there. He feels he got cheated because his name should probably have come. Bumrah is still not there. That’s another news but I am more concerned that Sarfaraz is not there. When you picked Surya, it means a slot had opened up. In my opinion, Sarfaraz should have gotten that chance because Sarfaraz’s first-class average is 80. Apart from him, only Don Bradman has an average of 80 or more in the number of matches he has played,” Aakash Chopra added on his YouTube channel.
“So he has done everything in his powers to be in the Indian team. I am a little disappointed, that if you had a chance to select even one guy, because both Surya and Sarfaraz don’t come in the XI, Sarfaraz had the right in my opinion. If someone’s domestic season is going so good, you should have rewarded him,” he remarked.
Among others who were left stunned by the Indian selectors’ move were noted commentator Harsha Bhogle and a battery of his fans.
“Very hard on Sarfaraz Khan who has literally broken the door down in first class cricket. You can’t do more than he has,” Harsha Bhogle wrote on the highly influential messaging app.
“No Sarfaraz Khan in India’s Test squad is quite baffling. Not sure how Surya Kumar Yadav got in there ahead of him. Surely, you can’t pick a player in Test cricket on his T20 form,” another added.
“On the one hand, Mr. Roger Binny says Ranji performance will be the only criteria for selection and on the other hand, Chetan Sharma and his cohort keep on ignoring Sarfaraz Khan. Shame! Give the lad a chance for God’s sake,” a third commented.
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“Selecting Suryakumar Yadav ahead of Sarfaraz Khan in Tests is an insult to Ranji Trophy. That guy has been one of the most consistent run-getters in First Class cricket and deserved that call-up more than anyone. Baffling selection by this committee, yet again,” a fourth declared.
Notably, Sarfaraz Khan has been scoring heavily in the domestic circle, with his numbers in the Ranji Trophy being exemplary, to say the least.
During the last Ranji season, Sarfaraz Khan made 982 runs with four tons and two fifties at an astounding average of 122.75. His highest score in the 2021-22 season was 275. In the ongoing essay of the tournament, he has already collected 801 runs at a highly impressive average of 89.
Overall, Sarfaraz Khan has scored 3,380 runs in 36 first-class matches at an excellent average of 80.47. Since making his debut in 2014, the middle-order batter has hit 12 hundreds and nine half-centuries, including the highest score of 301 in the competition for Mumbai.
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav’s first-class record stands in the pale shadow of Sarfaraz Khan. Though the India white-ball specialist has amassed 5,549 with 14 tons and 28 fifties, his average is not that impressive.
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