3 weeks ago
Sarfaraz Khan recalled to India Test squad for Sri Lanka series
Sarfaraz Khan is a cricketer who plays for India.
He was chosen again to play for India's Test team.
He will play against Sri Lanka in two big matches.
The first match starts on August 15 in Galle.
He got this chance because another player, Sai Sudharsan, got hurt.
Sarfaraz worked very hard to get back on the team.
He lost 17 kilograms to become fitter.
He practiced in Kashmir because it was rainy at home.
He is very good at playing spin bowling.
India wants his batting skills for the series.
Sarfaraz Khan was recalled to India's Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka starting August 15.
The recall came after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out with a right big-toe impact injury.
Khan lost 17kg over the past year and a half as part of a major fitness transformation.
He trained at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Kashmir after monsoon rains made practice impossible in Mumbai.
He is regarded as one of India's best players of spin bowling, a key asset against Sri Lanka's attack.
He was dropped in 2024 after four failures against New Zealand despite scoring 150 in that series.
- Who
- Sarfaraz Khan, the Mumbai batter recalled by India's national selection committee after an injury to Sai Sudharsan.
- What
- Khan was recalled to India's Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka.
- Where
- Sri Lanka, with the first Test at Galle, team training in Colombo, and Khan's preparation at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium in Kashmir.
- When
- The series begins on August 15, with the first Test in Galle.
- Why
- A right big-toe injury to Sai Sudharsan opened a spot, and Khan is considered one of India's best players of spin bowling.
Sarfaraz Khan should play
Dhruv Jurel should play
Ability against spin bowling
Sarfaraz Khan should play
Khan is probably the best player of spin in the current set-up, with a wider range of strokes including conventional and reverse sweeps.
Dhruv Jurel should play
Jurel scored a big hundred and a fifty in the India A Tests in Sri Lanka last month, keeping his case alive for selection.
Recent form against off-spinners
Sarfaraz Khan should play
Khan trained extensively on used and under-prepared red-soil tracks to keep his game sharp against slow bowlers.
Dhruv Jurel should play
Jurel has shown problems playing off-spinners, being dismissed cheaply in a recent practice game, though he has not yet been ruled out.
Key facts
- Player
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Team
- India
- Series
- Two-match Test series vs Sri Lanka
- First Test
- Galle, August 15
- Weight loss
- 17kg over past year and a half
- Opportunity
- Injury to Sai Sudharsan (right big toe)
- Training venue
- Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium, Kashmir
- Previous exclusion
- Dropped after four failures in 2024 New Zealand series
Quotes
India selection committee
India national selection panel
“"We had three options – Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shaikh Rasheed, or Sarfaraz. The third and most logical option had to be Sarfaraz."”
rediff.com
“"I may not fit in, but I’ll fight with everything I’ve got."”
rediff.com











