“Stop playing Ranji Trophy” – Sunil Gavaskar slams selectors for overlooking Sarfaraz Khan for WI Tests

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticized selectors for ignoring Sarfaraz Khan for two Tests in the West Indies next month.

The 73-year-old said there is no need to continue the Ranji Trophy tournament if the players in the Test team continue to be picked solely on the basis of their Indian Premier League (IPL) performances.

The cricketer-turned-commentator said that it’s high time that Sarfaraz should be part of the India squad.

Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said:

“Sarfaraz Khan has been scoring at an average of 100 in all past three seasons. What does he have to do to be picked in the squad? He might not be in the XI, but you pick him in the team."

He continued:

"Tell him that his performances are being recognized. Otherwise, stop playing Ranji Trophy. Say, it’s of no use, you just play IPL and think you are good enough for the red ball game as well.”

For the uninitiated, Sarfaraz amassed 556 runs in six games at an average of 92.66 in the 2022–23 Ranji Trophy, including three centuries.

The right-handed batter had scored 982 runs at an average of 122.75 in the 2021–22 Ranji season, including four tons.

So far, Sarfaraz Khan has scored 3505 runs in 37 first-class matches at an average of 79.65, including 13 centuries.

---

Sunil Gavaskar picks Shubman Gill and Axar Patel as future India captains

Sunil Gavaskar feels that Shubman Gill and Axar Patel are his first two choices as future India captains. The veteran said that the duo should be groomed as future leaders.

He said:

“One is Shubman Gill and other is Axar Patel [as future captains] because Axar comes in leaps and bounds, he just gets better every match. Giving him the responsibility as vice-captain will make them think. So, these are the two candidates in my view."

He added:

"If there are others, somebody like Ishan Kishan, once he cements his place in the team. He can come in the reckoning as well.”

Gavaskar, though, credited Ajinkya Rahane for becoming the new vice captain of Team India in Tests.

He said:

“There is nothing wrong in having him [Ajinkya Rahane] as the vice-captain, but a missed opportunity to groom a young player. At least, tell a young player that we are looking at you as a future captain. So, he starts to think as a future leader.”

For the uninitiated, Rahane’s appointment as Test vice captain comes after his knocks of 89 and 46 on his India comeback in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.

India’s Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.