Sarfaraz Khan carries on his dream run with bat against England Lions despite India Test squad snub

The Ranji Trophy has been the backbone of Indian cricket's talent pool for the last 100 years. Over the years many Indian greats have honed their skills in the Ranji Trophy and shown their mettle to make it in the national side. But in recent years, the significance of the coveted domestic trophy has diminished and there has been a trend of picking the players from the Indian Premier League irrespective of the format. 

A recent example of this has been the non-selection of Sarfaraz Khan in the national side of India despite exceptional performances in the Ranji Trophy in the last few years. Recently, Sarfaraz Khan made headlines once again, showcasing his prowess in the ongoing two-day practice match between India A and England Lions.

In this exciting encounter, Sarfaraz Khan played a stellar innings, smashing 96 off 110 balls. His remarkable knock, adorned with 11 boundaries and one six, captured the attention of cricket enthusiasts. It's worth noting that this performance came just after the announcement of India's squad for the first two Tests against England, where Sarfaraz, unfortunately, found himself overlooked.

Domestic Cricket Dominance

Sarfaraz's brilliance is not a newfound phenomenon. In the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy campaign, he amassed an impressive 556 runs in six games, boasting an average of 92.66, and registering three centuries. This adds to his outstanding track record, having scored 982 runs at an average of 122.75 in the previous Ranji Trophy season. His overall First-Class cricket average stands at an impressive 69.6.

In the recent India A vs. England Lions match, Sarfaraz's innings, coupled with significant contributions from other players like Rajat Patidar, KS Bharat, and Dhruv Jurel, propelled India A to a commanding score of 411/6 at tea. While the England Lions were bundled out for 233, Indian bowler Manav Suthar scalped three wickets, setting the stage for India A's dominance.