The exclusion of Sarfaraz Khan from the Indian team for the West Indies tour has drawn criticism, with concerns about his fitness level and alleged off-field conduct cited by BCCI sources. However, Mumbai cricket officials have rubbished these claims, asserting that there is no basis for the allegations.
While a BCCI official spoke anonymously about Sarfaraz’s fitness and the need for improvement, the Mumbai cricket officials have countered these assertions. They maintain that the decision to exclude Sarfaraz is not solely based on cricketing reasons, but they vehemently deny any misconduct on his part.
Reports suggested that Sarfaraz’s celebrations after scoring a hundred against Delhi in a Ranji game earlier this year were viewed negatively by former selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma. However, sources close to the cricketer clarified that the celebration was meant for his teammates and coach Amol Mujumdar, and the selector present at the match was Salil Ankola, not Chetan Sharma. They emphasized that the celebration was a moment of relief and that it is not wrong to express exuberance towards the dressing room.
Additionally, concerns were raised about Sarfaraz’s behavior during a break in the 2022 Ranji Trophy final, allegedly irking Madhya Pradesh coach and Mumbai stalwart Chandrakant Pandit. However, sources close to Sarfaraz stated that Pandit treats him like a son and has always had positive things to say about him. They refute any claims of anger or disappointment from Pandit regarding Sarfaraz’s conduct.
