"The selectors didn't say it to me directly" - Sarfaraz Khan's huge revelation ahead of NZ vs IND 2026 Test series

Discarded Team India batter Sarfaraz Khan revealed a recent message from the team management regarding his selection and non-selection ahead of the Test series in New Zealand. The 29-year-old has not played for India since November 2024, despite being one of the most productive batters in domestic cricket.

Yet, Sarfaraz Khan spent Monday (November 2) doing what he has done for more than a decade: batting for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. By the close of play at the Brabourne Stadium, where he made 55 off 100 balls against Railways, the conversation had moved to the thing missing from his season: a place in India's plans.

"The selectors didn't say it to me directly, but when I went to the Indian team recently, I heard that they are looking at me more for Indian conditions. But still, I have a question: when I went to [South] Africa, I scored runs [for India A]. When I went to England, I scored. So sometimes, when you make a comeback and you get a rank turner in India, suddenly you can't perform very well on a difficult wicket after scoring in domestic cricket," said Sarfaraz (via ESPN Cricinfo).

He added:

"Or if you do, then 30‑40-50 runs are enough on it. But it is not that I have not scored runs outside [India]. I have scored outside too. So it's okay. Ye unka nazariya hai (This is the selectors' perspective). My job is to play cricket. And I will play."

All six of Sarfaraz's Tests have come in India, for 371 runs and one century, the 150 against New Zealand in Bengaluru in 2024. The rest of that series went badly: 11 and 9 in Pune, then 0 and 1 at the Wankhede, which remains his last appearance in India whites nearly two years ago.

Sarfaraz Khan opens up on missing the India A games in New Zealand

Sarfaraz Khan further opened up about missing the ongoing four-day matches for India A against New Zealand A ahead of the New Zealand Tests. The 29-year-old was not picked for the India A squad playing three four-day games in New Zealand this month, and he is not in the 16-member Test squad for the two-match series that follows.

"Whenever a team comes out, I have expectations. But it's okay. It's in their (selectors') hands whether to select me or not. My job is to play cricket," said Sarfaraz (via the aforementioned source).

Sarfaraz was not among the 15 players named on October 6, a group that included KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, and Dhruv Jurel, who is captaining.

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