Mumbai, November 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan has admitted he expected to be considered for the India A tour of New Zealand but said he would continue scoring runs in domestic cricket rather than worry about the selectors’ decisions.
Sarfaraz, who has not played for India since the 2024 Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, made 55 on the opening day of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy match against Railways at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday.
“Whenever a team comes out, I have expectations. But it’s okay. It’s in their hands whether to select me or not. My job is to play cricket,” he told reporters.
The batter said he had heard during his recent return to the Indian dressing room, when he was called up as an injury replacement for the Sri Lanka Test series but did not feature, that selectors viewed him primarily as an option for Indian conditions.
Sarfaraz questioned that assessment, pointing to his performances for India A overseas. In seven first-class matches outside India, he has scored 300 runs at an average of 50, including three half-centuries. Those appearances came in South Africa, Bangladesh and England.
He said he had also worked consistently to maintain his domestic form, despite the challenge of restarting the grind every season. His scores in the ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign are 1, 154, 40 and 55, giving him an average of 62.50.
The 28-year-old credited his father, Naushad Khan, for keeping him motivated, saying his father’s dedication continues to push him to train early every morning even after fulfilling his ambition of playing for India.
Sarfaraz also addressed his much-discussed physical transformation, revealing that he reduced his weight from 97 kg to 77 kg last year. He said no one in the Indian or Mumbai teams had formally asked him to lose weight, but he acted on feedback he heard and acknowledged that he had been overweight.
Having represented India in Tests, Sarfaraz said he remained ready to take up any opportunity, whether in domestic competitions, the IPL, India A or the national team.
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