'My job is to play cricket': Sarfaraz Khan unfazed by India A omission

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Mumbai middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan remains hungry in his pursuit of domestic runs despite being left out of the India A squad for the upcoming three four-day matches against New Zealand.

Speaking after the opening day of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy fixture against Railways at the Brabourne Stadium, Sarfaraz expressed his mindset regarding selection.

“My job is to play cricket. And I will play. Obviously. Whenever a team comes out, I have expectations,” he said when asked whether he expected to be selected. “But it’s okay. It’s in their (selectors’) hands whether to select me or not. My job is to play cricket.” Sarfaraz said, as per Cricinfo.

Addressing suggestions that selectors view him primarily as a specialist for home conditions, Sarfaraz highlighted his solid record abroad, where he averages 50 in seven overseas first-class games for India A.

“The selectors didn’t say it to me directly, but when I went to the Indian team recently, I heard that they are looking at me more for Indian conditions,” he said, as per Cricinfo.

“But still I have a question: when I went to [South] Africa, I scored runs [for India A]. When I went to England, I scored. So sometimes when you make a comeback, and you get a rank turner in India, suddenly you can’t perform very well on a difficult wicket after scoring in domestic cricket. Or if you do, then 30-40-50 runs are enough on it. But it is not that I have not scored runs outside [India]. I have scored outside too. So it’s okay. Ye unka nazariya hai (This is the selectors’ perspective). My job is to play cricket. And I will play,” he said.

Sarfaraz Khan on work ethic and weight loss

Sarfaraz has maintained impressive domestic form, scoring 55 against Railways to take his Ranji Trophy average for the season to 62.50 following previous outings of 1,154 and 40.

“It’s very difficult to score runs every season. I think I am still doing the same thing that I did with my father in the beginning. It’s the same thing. I don’t take off in the off-season, and I practice and keep batting. I don’t know how many runs I am going to make.” Sarfaraz said, as per Cricinfo.

Sarfaraz also revealed he voluntarily shed 20 kg, reducing his weight from 97 kg to 77 kg, after observing feedback regarding his fitness.

“No one told me that I have to lose weight,” he said. “But whatever I heard on social media, or from someone, that maybe I should lose weight. So I did it. Because whatever I hear that I should work on something, I am doing that in my life. I can’t do anything more than that. In reality, I was overweight. There is no doubt about that,” he concluded.

(With inputs from agencies)

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