Dilip Vengsarkar Questions Sarfaraz Khan's Ongoing Exclusion from Team India

Dilip Vengsarkar has raised concerns over the exclusion of Sarfaraz Khan from Team India, despite his strong performances in domestic cricket. Sarfaraz's last appearance for the national team was in November 2024, and since then, he has been overlooked for selection. Vengsarkar highlights Sarfaraz's contributions during his debut Test series and questions the rationale behind the selectors' decisions. As Sarfaraz continues to perform well in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the cricket community is left wondering about his future with the national team. Discover more about this unfolding cricket saga.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 1, 2026, 12:38 IST

Sarfaraz Khan's Surprising Absence from Team India

Former captain of India and cricket legend from Mumbai, Dilip Vengsarkar, has voiced his confusion regarding the absence of Sarfaraz Khan from the Indian Test cricket team. Sarfaraz last played for the national team in a Test match against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai back in November 2024, and he has not been selected since.

Although Sarfaraz was included in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, he did not get the opportunity to play. Following this, he was omitted from the England Test series, despite performing well for India A in an unofficial Test against England Lions, where he scored 92 runs off 119 balls in Canterbury. In August 2025, he suffered a quadriceps injury during the Buchi Babu Tournament, which led to his exclusion from the West Indies Test series.

Despite recovering and scoring a century for Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy warm-up match against Maharashtra, Sarfaraz was not selected for India A's two unofficial Tests against South Africa A, raising eyebrows about the reasoning behind his continued exclusion.

Vengsarkar's Concerns Over Selection Decisions

Dilip Vengsarkar expressed his disbelief at Sarfaraz Khan's ongoing exclusion from the national squad across all formats, despite his consistent performances. In an interview, Vengsarkar reminisced about Sarfaraz's significant partnership with Devdutt Padikkal during the Test match against England, which was pivotal for India's victory in Dharamshala.

He stated, "It's truly baffling to me why he hasn't been selected in any format for India, especially when he has consistently performed well whenever given the chance."

Vengsarkar highlighted the importance of Sarfaraz's contributions, noting, "I witnessed him and Padikkal batting together against England in Dharamshala. They formed a crucial partnership that ultimately led to India's Test win."

Sarfaraz's Impressive Performance Record

Sarfaraz Khan had an outstanding debut Test series against England, accumulating 200 runs, including three fifties, with an average of 50.00 over five innings in three matches. He also achieved his first international century, scoring 150 runs off 195 balls in the first Test of the series against New Zealand.

Vengsarkar criticized the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for overlooking Sarfaraz, labeling it a 'real shame' that such a talented player has been 'ignored' and 'neglected' by the selectors.

He remarked, "After the home series against England, he didn't get another opportunity to play. He was part of the Australia tour but didn't get a chance, which is perplexing, as he is capable of playing in all formats. Such talent should not be overlooked."

Sarfaraz's Determination to Return

Despite being sidelined since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Sarfaraz Khan is determined to make a comeback to the Indian squad. He is currently competing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he has been impressive, scoring 157 runs off 75 balls against Goa in Jaipur.

In the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26, Sarfaraz has accumulated 220 runs, including a century and a fifty, boasting an impressive average of 110 across four matches.