"I am very sad and feel sorry for him"- Ravi Ashwin reacts to Sarfaraz Khan's snub from India A squad

Ravi Ashwin also feels that selectors have closed doors for Sarfaraz Khan’s comeback in Indian Cricket Team.

Former Indian spinner Ravi Ashwin has slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors over Sarfaraz Khan’s snub from the India A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa A. Ashwin made a bold statement, saying that it looks that selectors have shut the doors on him and he feels sorry for the young batter.

On Tuesday, the BCCI announced the India A squad for the unofficial test series against South Africa A, scheduled to start later this month. While almost every young performer was there in the team, one thing that caught the attention of many Sarfaraz Khan being left out, which led to widespread criticisms by fans on social media. Notably, the right-handed batsman made his test debut for India during the home series against England last year, where he also slammed two half-centuries in both innings of his debut game.

Later, he was also picked for the home test series against New Zealand last year, where India faced a humiliating 3-0 defeat but he was decent with the bat, hitting his first test ton. He was also part of India squad for Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, where he didn’t get to play a single game.

After that tour, he was dropped from the test side for the England tour and then due to an injury, he missed out on playing Duleep Trophy 2025-26 and the West Indies tests at home.

To make the things worse, he was not even considered for the home series against South Africa A, which will witness two games.

When I examine Sarfaraz’s non-selection, I don’t receive any explanation: Ravi Ashwin

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ravi Ashwin slammed Indian selectors over Sarfaraz’s snub from India A squad, reiterating that there is no explanation for his non-selection. Ashwin also feels that Sarfaraz’s return to Indian Cricket Team is unlikely after getting dropped from India A squad.

“However, when I examine Sarfaraz’s non-selection, I don’t receive any explanation. I am very sad and feel sorry for him. Had I been the selector, what would I have called him up and said? He has reduced his weight, and he has been scoring runs; he also scored a century in his last Test series. And this sort of non-selection leads me to think that someone must have been thinking that we have seen enough of him, and we no longer want him, so we don’t want to go in that direction,” he said.

“If I were Sarfaraz Khan, that is what I would be thinking. He has been dropped from the India A side. It’s literally like the door has been shut. Where will he perform? Now, if he performs well in first-class cricket, they will say he is very good only for first-class cricket,” he added.

“So he won’t get picked for India A now. Where will he go and prove his credentials? Where will he show that he has improved? So, such non-selection feels like someone’s decision, whether from the management side or the selection side, that we are no longer looking at him,” Ashwin further said.

So far, Sarfaraz has played six test matches for India, scoring 371 runs at an average of 37.10 with three half-centuries and one century. Meanwhile, the unofficial test series between India A and South Africa A will begin on October 30 with the opening game at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) Ground 1 in Bengaluru. The second encounter will be played at the same venue from November 6.

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