In the last few days, there was been a lot of furore over the Indian squad selected for the tour of West Indies.
A couple of ex-cricketers have voiced their opinion on the inclusion of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal while overlooking the likes of Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who have been piling on the runs in domestic cricket - the Ranji Trophy, India's premier red ball competition.
Now, a BCCI official has provided some clarification as to why Sarfaraz Khan hasn't been called up to the Indian Test team yet.
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BCCI official cites off-field issues as reasons for not selecting Sarfaraz Khan
Speaking to the Press Trust of India (PTI), as quoted by The Indian Express, the BCCI official, who chose to remain anonymous, suggested that there were "multiple factors at play" for not calling up Sarfaraz.
"The angry reactions are understandable, but I can tell you with some degree of certainty that the reason behind Sarfaraz's repeated exclusions is not just cricket-related. There are multiple factors at play," the BCCI official commented.
"Are the selectors fools to overlook a player who has scored 900 plus runs in consecutive seasons? One of the reasons is his fitness, which isn't up to international standards. He needs to work hard, possibly shed weight, and return leaner and fitter. Batting fitness alone is not the sole criterion for selection," he further added.
He went on to claim that Sarfaraz's conduct, both on and off the field, have not been up to the mark.
"His behavior both on and off the field hasn't been exemplary. Certain remarks, gestures, and incidents have been taken note of. A more disciplined approach would benefit him greatly. Hopefully, Sarfaraz, along with his father and coach Naushad Khan, will address these aspects," the source said.
When asked if his poor returns in the IPL were one of the reasons for not selecting him, the BCCI official denied it.
"That's a perception created by the media. Do you think there could be any cricketing reasons? When Mayank Agarwal made it into the Indian Test team, he scored 1000 first-class runs in one month. Did MSK Prasad's committee evaluate his IPL credentials? The same goes for Hanuma Vihari, who emerged through domestic and A team ranks. If their IPL and white ball records weren't scrutinized then, why would SS Das's committee reinvent the wheel now? It's simple. The reason is not cricket-related," the source added.
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What is Sarfaraz Khan's Ranji Trophy record?
Sarfaraz Khan has been an outstanding performer in the Ranji Trophy. The Mumbai middle-order batsman averages 79.66, which is only second to Don Bradman's average when it comes to first-class cricket (minimum 50 innings).
Sarfaraz has averaged above 100 in each of the last three seasons of the Ranji Trophy.
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | S.R | 50s | 100s | Best |
| 37 | 54 | 3505 | 79.66 | 70.21 | 9 | 13 | 301* |
