It's a shame that a talent like Sarfaraz has been ignored & neglected: Dilip Vengsarkar

MUMBAI: Sarfaraz Khan's incredible form in white-ball cricket has reignited the debate around his continuous snub from the India team, even after a string of impactful knocks and seasons in domestic cricket.

For years now, Sarfaraz has developed a reputation as a ‘run-machine’ in domestic cricket - the man has scored 16 hundreds in first-class cricket and boasts an average of 63.15 and a run tally of 4,863 runs in 60 matches.


However, the 28-year-old is quickly changing a perception about him that he is only good in whites. On Wednesday, Sarfaraz churned out a scintillating knock of 157 off just 75 balls against Goa in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with his innings being laced with nine fours and as many as 14 sixes, helping Mumbai score 444 as the Shardul Thakur-led side registered an 87-run win over Goa.

The middle-order batter began his ‘white-ball resurgence’ with a string of fine outings in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 329 runs in seven matches with a strike-rate of 203.08 and an average of 65.80. That run included an unbeaten 100 off just 47 balls against Assam and 73 off 22 balls against Rajasthan. He cracked an 18-ball fifty against Haryana - the fastest-ever for Mumbai in SMAT, before breaking his own record with a 15-ball half-century against Rajasthan.

Coming down heavily on the national selectors and the team management for having ignored Sarfaraz over the years, former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar told TOI, "You know, the thing is, it's really baffing for me that why he's not pick in any format for India, when he has done well so consistently, even for India also when he got an opportunity. I watched him and (Devdutt) Padikkal batting together against England in Dharamshala (in the fifth and final Test of that series in Jan-Feb 2024). It was a crucial session. They batted beautifully and forged together an important partnership (97 in 132 balls for the fourth wicket), which ultimately helped India win the Test match (Sarfaraz made 56, while Padikkal scored 65 as India won by an innings & 64 runs)."

Vengsarkar, a former India chief selector, felt it was a "shame that a talent like Sarfaraz "has been ignored and neglected. "And after that (home series against England), he didn't get an opportunity (to play another Test). Of course, he was on the tour of Australia (the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy), but he wasn't given a chance at all.and that really baffles me, because he's a good enough player to play in all formats of the game. Such a talent has been ignored and neglected. It's a real shame!," Vengsarkar thundered.

Sarfaraz has played for India in six Tests, scoring 371 runs at an average of 37.10 and strike rate of 74.94, with 150 being his highest score.

Complimenting the Mumbai batter's ability to adapt to different formats so easily and terming him as a "match-winner," Vengsarkar said, "Basically, he's a match-winner. The beauty of his batting or his mental strength that he can easily adapt to different formats of the game, which is such an important and a great quality of his. I mean, yesterday, Mumbai lost their top-order against Goa, and then he churned out a brilliant knock, which paved the way for Mumbai's win. It was a match-winning innings. And if you don't pick match-winners, you can't blame anybody else, but yourself."

Pleased a punch with his son's supreme white-ball touch, Sarfaraz's father-cum-coach Naushad Khan told this paper, "It's great to see Sarfaraz doing so well in white-ball cricket. He's in a different zone currently. He's fit both mentally and physically. I hope that he keeps performing like this in future too."

Ashwin wants Mumbai star as CSK regular

Meanwhile, India's off-spin great Ravichandran Ashwin wants the in-form Sarfaraz to be a regular for CSK in IPL-2026. Sarfaraz was given a lifeline in the IPL-2026 auction when CSK picked him up for his base price of Rs 75 lakh. Following his blazing knock against Goa, Ashwin batted for the Mumbai batter to be a part of CSK's starting XII in the upcoming IPL season.

The former spinner said that Sarfaraz is "not knocking down, but breaking open" the doors for India selection and that CSK should be looking at "riding his purple patch" in the upcoming season.

"100*(47), 52(40), 64(25), 73(22) in the SMAT. That form's transitioned seamlessly into the Hazare with scores of 55(49) followed by a blistering 157(75) today with 14 sixes. It's particularly impressive how he murders spin in the middle overs with his sweeps and slog sweeps. 'Avan kadhava thattala, idichi odachitu irukaan.' (He is not knocking on the door, he is breaking it open ) CSK should look at riding his purple patch by slotting him into the Playing XII surely? A genuine problem of plenty with the bat for the men in yellove this season! Can't wait for IPL 2026!" tweeted Ashwin.

Former India selector and ex-Mumbai chief selector Salil Ankola has seen Sarfaraz's growth as a batter from close quarters. "A lot of people had this notion that Sarfaraz can't play white-ball cricket. However, he has come of age now. It's a big hundred (175 vs Goa), and not a 'small hundred.' It was a fabulous knock. I'm very happy for him. I hope that his form continues in white-ball cricket too," Ankola told this paper.

A groundview of Sarfaraz’s knock

Former Rajasthan wicketkeeper Rohit Jalani, who was present at the Jaipuria cricket ground in Jaipur, where he runs his cricket academy, when Sarfaraz unleashed his blitzkrieg against Goa, was left in awe after witnessing the 28-year-old's fireworks with the bat. "His batting was simply superb. He is batting at a different level these days. In the north of India, the ball moves around for an hour in the morning, but Sarfaraz grafted out that period, and then put the pressure back on the bowlers. The selectors must take note of his consistently fine performance in white-ball cricket too. He shouldn't be categorized as just a red-ball player. He must get an opportunity. You can't judge him about where he stands without giving him a chance. If you picked Ishan Kishan in India's T20 World Cup team on the basis of his splendid form in domestic cricket, the same rule must apply to Sarfaraz as well," Jalani felt.

Praising Sarfaraz for improving his fitness- the Mumbaikar has reduced his weight drastically - Jalani said, "Sarfaraz has worked hard on his fitness too, and that shows with the way he scored 150-plus against Goa. If he's scoring centuries, then that's all the fitness that you need from him."