The Indian cricket fans have come down hard at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as an official cited Sarfaraz Khan's celebration style as the reason behind his non-selection in the Test team. The 25-year-old's non-inclusion for the West Indies tour has raised plenty of debate in the last couple of days.
Sarfaraz has been a prolific run-getter over the past few years in Ranji Trophy and has been knocking at the selectors' doors. The right-handed batter averaged 92.66 in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy edition, scoring 556 runs in 6 games. He was the leading run-getter in the 2021-22 season, hammering 982 runs in 6 matches at 122.75 with 4 centuries.
Khan's overall first-class numbers stack as 3505 runs in 37 matches at a staggering 79.65 with 13 tons. However, the BCCI ended up choosing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the 17-man squad for the two-Test series in the Caribbean.
A BCCI official cited the reason behind Sarfaraz's non-selection and told PTI:
"His conduct on and off the field hasn’t exactly been top notch. Certain things said, certain gestures made, and some incidents have been taken note of. A bit more disciplined approach would only do him a world of good. Hopefully, Sarfaraz, his father, and coach Naushad Khan will work on those aspects."
Reportedly, Sarfaraz's finger celebration style following his hundred against Delhi earlier this year during a Ranji Trophy fixture didn't go well as the erstwhile selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma was said to be present in the stands. A report later said that the selector present at the site was Salil Ankola. However, according to media reports, the finger was not meant for the selector but for the team.
Here's how the fans have reacted to the BCCI ignoring Sarfaraz Khan for selection:
