Young batting sensation Sarfaraz Khan receives a much-needed opportunity in the India A squad set to face South Africa, marking a chance for the talented right-hander to make his mark. Despite impressive first-class statistics, Sarfaraz has consistently been overlooked by the national selectors, a trend he hopes to reverse through stellar performances in the upcoming series.
India A Squad for 1st Four-Day Match:
Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran*, Devdutt Padikkal, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Sarfaraz Khan, KS Bharat (C)(wk), Dhruv Jurel, Shardul Thakur, Pulkit Narang, Sourabh Kumar, Manav Suthar, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Tushar Deshpande.
India A Squad for 2nd Four-Day Match:
Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran*, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, KS Bharat (C)(wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Akash Deep, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Navdeep Saini.
While Sarfaraz Khan secures a spot in the initial match, the second four-day encounter will see him absent, with wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharath leading the charge. Sarfaraz, with a remarkable first-class record boasting 3589 runs at an average of 71.78, is eager to make a statement and force his way back into the national team.