'Often it happens that a player earns a late call-up' - Sarfaraz Khan reacts to Sunil Gavaskar's statement where he bashed selectors in his support

Sarfaraz Khan has been in sublime form in the past three seasons of the Ranji Trophy. The Mumbai batter has been piling on runs season after season but hasn’t been able to break into the Indian team. After the 25-year-old was once again ignored for India vs Australia Test series played in February-March, former India Cricketer Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at selectors for overlooking him.

Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav were given their maiden Test call-ups during the Australia Test series ahead of Sarafaraz. Reacting to it, Gavaskar had taken a dig at the then Chief Selector, Chetan Sharma, and gave a befitting reply to those questioning his fitness saying that if selectors are looking for slim-trim guys they should go to a fashion show.

"If you are looking for only slim and trim guys, then might as well go to a fashion show and find some other models and give a bat and ball in their hands and then improve them. That’s not the way cricket goes. You have cricketers in all shapes and sizes. Don't go by the size, go by the scores or wickets. He is not staying off the field when he scores a hundred. He is back on the field again. So, all that tells you is that the man is fit," Gavaskar was quoted as saying by India Today.

Reacting to Gavaskar’s statement, Sarfaraz Khan said that fitness is important for the game and he’s putting extra effort into his fitness and getting the most out of fitness camps run by Delhi Capitals.

"I just heard that a while ago. I was busy playing the Ranji Trophy so I saw it in the morning itself all that he had to say. See fitness is obviously important, and I try my best. When our last Ranji Trophy match got over, I got back home at 2 AM in the night and at 5 AM was back on the ground. So my ground fitness is up to the mark and when it comes to running and all, I try and get the most out of it during Ranji or IPL. DC recently conducted a fitness camp in Delhi for 14 days. Whatever we have in our hand, we do it," Sarfaraz told SportsYaari.

It is worth mentioning that Sarfaraz Khan has been having a dream run in Ranji Trophy since 2019, as he has amassed 2466 runs at a mind-boggling average of 123.3, with 10 centuries and five fifties to his name. Furthermore, Khan piled up 556 runs in Ranji Trophy 2022-23 at an average of 92.66, with three hundreds and one fifty to his name, respectively. Moreover, the 25-year-old finished as the highest run-getter of the tournament in 2021-22 season, with 982 runs to his name at an emphatic average of 122.75, with four tons and two fifties. The Mumbai-born batter had another dream run in 2019-20 whereby, he racked up 928 runs with an insane average of 154.66, with three hundreds and two fifties as well.

Consequently, Khan’s incredible domestic run has made him rank second on the list of players having the highest average in First-class cricket only behind the legendary Don Bradman’s 95.14. He averages a massive 79.65 in 37 matches scoring 3505 runs with 13 hundreds and nine fifties to his name.

I don't mind waiting a bit longer: Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan further spoke about his long wait to be a part of India’s squad and said that he draws inspiration from his good friend Suryakumar Yadav who also got a late call-up in the Indian team and is ruling the ICC batting rankings in T20Is.

"I am concentrating on the form that I am currently in, making sure I continue it for as long as possible. I'm doing this because when you lose your form, it doesn't come back that easily. Often it happens that a player earns a late call-up. Take Suryakumar Yadav for example. He is a great friend; we keep talking to each other about skills and we both play strong sweep shots. So like he too got a late start, he is in good form. So I too don't mind waiting a bit longer but the key is to sustain this form," said Sarfaraz.

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