As the India A side gears up to face South Africa in two multi-day matches starting October 30, the spotlight has once again fallen on Sarfaraz Khan — not for his batting exploits, but for his omission. 

Despite consistent domestic performances and an impressive first-class record, the Mumbai batter finds himself out of contention for both the senior India and India A teams, deepening questions over his international future.

Rishabh Pant has been named captain for the upcoming South Africa A series, with Sai Sudharsan serving as his deputy. The matches will precede India’s senior Test series against the same opponents, beginning November 14. The announcement, however, was overshadowed by Sarfaraz’s exclusion — a decision that continues a puzzling trend for the prolific right-hander.

At 28, Sarfaraz’s career has been a story of runs overshadowed by missed opportunities. With 4,700-plus first-class runs at an average exceeding 65, his domestic record stands among the best in India. Yet, he has managed only six Test appearances, all on home soil, with a single century to his name against England in Bengaluru. His improved fitness — highlighted by a 17-kilogram weight loss that drew widespread praise — has also failed to translate into selection.

Even during India A’s home series against Australia earlier this year, Sarfaraz was overlooked. He was part of the England tour, where he scored a solid 92 in his first innings, only to be dropped for the next match. More recently, his 70-plus runs in a Ranji Trophy game for Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir further demonstrated his reliability with the bat, but selectors seem unconvinced.

Competition for middle-order spots remains fierce. During India’s tour of England, the team rotated between Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair at No.3, while Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel shared wicketkeeping duties. Jurel’s recent form — including crucial hundreds — has strengthened his position, leaving limited room for players like Sarfaraz, who must now bring something extraordinary to the table to return.

Adding to the complexity are whispers from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, where a journalist hinted at internal rifts and alleged dressing-room leaks — speculation that some believe may have indirectly hurt Sarfaraz’s chances.

For now, the path back seems steep. His best shot lies in dominating the ongoing Ranji Trophy and reigniting his T20 career. His last IPL stint with Delhi Capitals in 2023 yielded just 53 runs in four games, but a strong domestic and IPL season could revive his hopes ahead of the 2026 auction.

Former Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel has backed Kuldeep Yadav to feature in the third ODI against Australia. India suffered a two-wicket loss against Australia in the second ODI at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on Thursday.

India played the same playing XI as they continued backing the all-rounder trio of Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Patel said India needs to trust their batting unit in the third game of the series.

Meanwhile, Kuldeep has been in fine form as he had scalped 12 wickets in two Test matches against the West Indies after taking 17 wickets in the Asia Cup.

Parthiv Patel said on Star Sports, “We will definitely see Kuldeep Yadav playing in the third ODI. As far as the combination is concerned, India will have to trust their top order, whether it’s about performance or runs and stick with the right balance. There’s no need for an extra cushion in batting.

Patel said Kuldeep can provide the crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs for India.

“Kuldeep Yadav can provide those crucial wickets in the middle overs that India has been missing. If your top-order batters get out early, that’s part of the game. You can’t keep adding more batters to cover for that. The focus should be on playing the best combination to win,” the former India stumper added.

On the other hand, former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron said Kuldeep should have been part of the playing XI from the first game.

“Kuldeep Yadav should have been part of the playing XI right from the first game of the series. You might have to sacrifice a batsman to make that happen, but it’s worth it. Playing just two fast bowlers in Australia isn’t ideal, but Kuldeep is someone who can get you wickets and those wickets make up for the runs you might lose by playing one batter fewer.

“At the moment, India seem to be relying on batters making mistakes to get wickets, whereas Kuldeep is a genuine wicket-taker who can create those breakthroughs on his own,” Aaron concluded.

The third and final ODI between India and Australia will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.