Srinagar: Former India captain and BCCI President Saurav Ganguly has fully backed inclusion of Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan and Bengal batter Abhimanyu Easwaran in the Team India squads.
BCCI recently announced Team India’s Test and ODI squads for the upcoming tour of the West Indies. The continued absence of domestic star Sarfaraz Khan has irked many fans and former cricketers alike.
Ganguly has also given his opinion and also took a dig at BCCI for not picking Sarfaraz.
Ganguly also named Abhimanyu Easwaran, the Bengal batter, as one of the young players who should have been considered in the Test squad. In eight matches in 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, Easwaran scored 798 runs at an average of 66.50, smashing three centuries and as many half-centuries.
Sarfaraz, meanwhile, played only six matches as he was forced to miss matches for Mumbai due to illness, but boasted of an incredible average of 92.66, scoring 556 runs.
“I think Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored tons of runs in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy. I think that’s why he is in the squad. I feel for Sarfaraz Khan. At some point he should get an opportunity for the amount of runs that he has scored in past three years,” Ganguly was quoted by PTI.
“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.”
Ganguly who has watched Khan closely during Delhi Capitals IPL 2023 campaign said that Sarfaraz Khan has no issues with fast bowling.
“If you don’t play him (Sarfaraz) against fast bowling, how do you know?” Ganguly said.
“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.”