Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has lashed out at the Chetan Sharma-led selection panel for not picking Sarfaraz Khan in the Test squad for the upcoming series against Australia. Gavaskar stated that the selectors should pick guys from fashion shows if they want slim players.
The Indian team has made it mandatory for all the players to clear the Yo-Yo test but Khan has been under the scanner for his weight. However, the youngster has performed consistently in the last three seasons of the Ranji Trophy and deserves his chance in the national team.
Sarfaraz Khan has been knocking down the selection doors and has amassed 3380 runs in 36 first-class matches at a magnificent average of 80.47.
Khan has returned with scores of 5, 126*, 75, 20, 162, 15*, and 28* in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. Furthermore, the 25-year-old from Mumbai was in sublime form in the previous season, scoring 982 runs. The right-hander had also scored 928 runs in the 2019-20 season but despite performing so consistently he hasn’t been able to catch the selectors’ eyes.
The 25-year-old continued his good show as he scored 125 runs in the first innings of the ongoing Ranji Trophy clash against Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
“At the end of the day, if you are unfit, you are not going to score hundreds. So cricket fitness is most important. I don’t have a problem with you wanting to do the Yo-Yo test or whatever it is, but the Yo-Yo test cannot be the only criterion. You got to make sure that the man is fit for cricket as well. And if the person, whoever it is, is fit for cricket, then I don’t think it should really matter,” Sunil Gavaskar told Sports Today.
“He is not staying off the field when he is scoring hundreds, he is back on the field again. All that tells you that the man is fit for cricket. If you are looking for only slim and trim guys, then you might as well go to a fashion show and pick some models and then give them a bat and ball in their hand and then include them. You have cricketers in all shapes and sizes. Don’t go by the size, but go by the runs and the wickets,” Gavaskar added.
Sarfaraz Khan admitted he was disappointed after he could not make the cut into the Test team. However, he will look to continue the good show in the upcoming matches
