Pant is still recovering from the car accident suffered late last year. Sarfaraz Khan is no novice to IPL as he has played 46 matches in the franchise league since making his debut in 2015. He has been knocking on the door of the Indian Test team for a while now as he has been scoring runs in bulk for Mumbai.
However, Sarfaraz Khan is a makeshift wicketkeeper for Delhi Capitals as he doesn’t keep wickets for Mumbai. The move backfired too as he dropped a catch and missed a stumping opportunity too during the LSG vs DC game.
Sunil Gavaskar, WV Raman criticise decision to play Sarfaraz
Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar was not impressed with Sarfaraz’s wicketkeeping during the match and blamed the DC management for taking the call.
Gavaskar said on air: “Don’t know whose decision was it? Was it a move to increase his stocks that he can even keep wickets?
Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer and India women’s team coach WV Raman also tweeted during the match that the decision was ‘disrespectful’ to play Sarfaraz as a wicketkeeper. He, however, didn’t take any names in his tweet.
“Wicket keeping was considered a thankless job, albeit a tough one. Of late the importance of that position is being diluted to the extent of almost being disrespectful, the adaptability and tactical demands notwithstanding.. #justsaying,” wrote Raman.
Sarfaraz Khan IPL career
Sarfaraz Khan became the youngest player to play in the IPL at the age of 17 when he featured for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2015. He was picked at that year’s auction after starring in the U-19 World Cup for India.
He impressed with a knock 21-ball 45 in his debut season and played 13 games that season while striking at the rate of 156.33 that season. He started off brightly in the 2016 season before losing his spot reportedly due to a lack of fitness.
The Mumbaikar, however, rave reviews from Chris Gayle, who said he is a talent for the future. He missed out on the 2017 season with an injury but RCB retained him ahead of some of the big names on the team, including KL Rahul and Gayle.
The batter, however, was released in 2018 after a poor season and was picked up at the next auction by Punjab Kings for mere Rs 25 lakh in a substantial market value drop from Rs 3 crore the season before. Sarfaraz Khan played 15 games for Punjab Kings as a utility player across three seasons and was unconvincing with 213 runs during the period.
He was subsequently released by the franchise ahead of the mega auction in 2021, where Delhi Capitals picked him up for the base price of Rs 20 lakh. He played eight games for DC since then and didn’t get to bat at all in 2021. His stats were rather convincing in 2022 with 131 runs in five innings at an average of 30-plus as he batted down the order.
Mumbai’s star batter in Ranji
Sarfaraz Khan has been pushing for a place in the Indian Test team for a while now as he averages a Bradmanesque 106.71 in 21 Ranji games for Mumbai. He has a triple century to his name as well and memorably scored 982 runs at an average of 122.75 during the 2021-22 season.
He continued his rich form in the next season as well with three centuries. He amassed 431 runs at an average of 107-plus but Mumbai’s failure to make the knockout stages ended his promising season prematurely.
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