NEW DELHI: After making a stunning 150 in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, it was difficult for the Indian team to keep Sarfaraz Khan out of the playing XI for the second Test in Pune that got underway on Thursday.
It was not just Sarfaraz’s maiden Test hundred, but how he scored those runs under pressure and led India’s fight back.
When Virat Kohli was dismissed off the last ball on Day 3 in the first Test, India were 231/3 with a 125-run deficit.Sarfaraz then got down to business and scripted a stirring comeback alongwith Rishabh Pant (99) with their massive 177-run association for the fourth wicket.
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As a fit again Shubman Gill made his way into the XI, the axe fell on KL Rahul, who scored a duck and 12 in the two innings in Bengaluru, that India lost by 8 wickets.
During his press conference on Wednesday, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir had backed KL Rahul saying that he played well in the Kanpur Test against Bangladesh.
Rahul had scored 68 in Kanpur and before that he had scored 86 against England in Hyderabad – a Test that India lost by 28 runs.
Rahul’s last Test hundred came against South Africa in Centurion in December 2023 in a match that India lost by an innings and 32 runs.
There is no doubt about KL Rahul’s class and technique across formats but runs haven’t come consistently from his bat. In selecting Sarfaraz Khan over KL Rahul, the India team management has definitely sent out a strong message.
Sarfaraz made his debut in the third Test against England in Rajkot in February earlier this year after grinding it out for years in domestic cricket and scored fine half-centuries in both the innings displaying great temperament.
Sarfaraz followed it up with another 56 in the fifth Test in Dharamsala as India won the 5-match series 4-1.
Sarfaraz Khan has made a significant impact on Indian domestic cricket with his outstanding performances, especially in the Ranji Trophy. Given his consistent performances and ability to score big under pressure, Sarfaraz is widely seen as a strong contender for a permanent place in India’s middle order in Test cricket.
Sarfaraz’s adaptability and hunger for runs could serve India well in both home and away conditions.