Irfan Pathan defended the call not to include Sarfaraz Khan from India’s A squad (Images via Getty Images) Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has weighed in on the growing debate over Sarfaraz Khan’s exclusion from the India A squad for the upcoming first-class matches against South Africa A, urging caution to ensure that the cricket selection does not become a political or communal issue. Sarfaraz, who turned 28 on Wednesday, was not included in either of the two teams led by Rishabh Pant despite an impressive domestic record, including a first-class average of over 100 over the last five years.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!His omission reignited discussions among fans and observers who questioned whether the Mumbai batter remained in contention for India’s other side.“The selectors and the coach (management) will always have a plan. Sometimes it may look bad in the eyes of the fans, but please don’t twist things and create stories that are not even close to the truth,” Pathan wrote on X, seemingly in response to the discussion and debate that has erupted online.
Irfan Pathan on X
Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohamed ignited a debate on social media when he claimed that the non-selection was out of religious bias and questioned head coach Gautam Gambhir’s stance. “Sarfaraz Khan wasn’t picked because of his last name? #justasking. We know where Gautam Gambhir stands on this,” she wrote on X. The remarks drew sharp criticism from BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla, who called the comments divisive. “Stop dividing India on communal lines, caste lines. Keep your dirty political communal agenda out of cricket Shama,” he said, adding that fellow Muslim players Mohammad Siraj and Khaleel Ahmed remain part of the team. Responding to the conflicting views, Pathan emphasized the need to focus on the game rather than social media and political narratives creating unnecessary tension. He highlighted how quickly wild conclusions were drawn without context and urged fans and leaders to respect the selection process. Pathan’s remarks come at a time when Sarfaraz’s international appearances have been sporadic. After making his Test debut under Rohit Sharma against England in February last year, he scored 371 runs in six Tests at an average of 37.10, with a century and three fifties. His last trip to India was for the home series against New Zealand in November 2024, and since then he has been left out of major tours, including the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, the tour of England and the home series against the West Indies.
Vote
Do you think Sarfaraz Khan’s exclusion from the India A team was justified?
The debate surrounding Sarfaraz’s exclusion from the India A team was also seen as a “closed door” for him, as pointed out by former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
