Sourav Ganguly backs Sarfaraz Khan after selection snub for West Indies tour

Sourav Ganguly said that it’s important to give a chance to Sarfaraz Khan as given to Yashasvi Jaiswal as the Mumbai batters scored tons of runs in Ranji Trophy season after season.

“I think Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored tons of runs in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, and Duleep Trophy. I think that’s why he is in the squad,” Ganguly told news agency PTI from London. “I feel for Sarfaraz Khan. At some point, he should get an opportunity for the amount of runs that he has scored in the past three years.

“And same thing for Abhimanyu Easwaran for the tons of runs he has scored in last five to six years. I am surprised that both of them have been omitted but they should get a chance in future. But Yashasvi Jasiwal is a good selection.”

He has seen Sarfaraz from close quarters as Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals and he isn’t amused with the perception that he can’t play fast bowling. “If you don’t play him (Sarfaraz) against fast bowling, how do you know?” he countered.

“If he had problems he wouldn’t have scored so many runs all around (India). I personally feel he has no problems against fast bowling and he should be given an opportunity.”

The World Test Championship final is always slated after two months of IPL and there is a school of thought that BCCI should speak to IPL franchises to monitor the workload of players. Ganguly, who has been on both sides of the fence feels it is not a practical solution.

“I don’t agree with this theory. Ajinkya Rahane also played IPL and he played very well during IPL and World Test Championship final. So I don’t believe in this theory. Some of the Australian boys (Cameron Green, David Warner), played well in IPL also and did well in World Test Championship.

“After IPL finished, there was enough time to acclimatise to Test cricket. They went to England and they played. It used to happen in the past. You played ODI cricket and you played Test cricket, things used to happen very, very quickly and so I don’t believe it’s an issue. So I believe that even if you play IPL, you should have the ability to adjust your technique and temperament and do well in a Test match,” said Ganguly.

While a few traditional centres like Mohali and Nagpur have missed out, Ganguly praised both ICC and BCCI bigwigs for a good choice of venues.

“It’s a great schedule and the allocation of the matches has been fantastic. BCCI and ICC have done a great job to give correct matches to the correct venues and I know it is going to be a tremendous World Cup. I know how BCCI organises the IPL, they will make it a spectacle,” he concluded.

With inputs from PTI