Opening Doorz

By Moody Marty | Opening Doorz Editorial | August 21, 2025

By any measure, Sarfaraz Khan should be one of India’s brightest Test hopes. A first-class batting average hovering around the 70-mark, domestic seasons where he piled on runs with the hunger of a man playing for his life, and a temperament that could light up any middle order.

These are rare qualities, and yet, here we are, watching another promising career teeter at the edge, not because of a lack of ability, but because of the fickle, short-sighted ways in which Indian cricket’s decision-makers handle their talent.

Fighting for a Test Cap. Not Gifted One

Sarfaraz did not stroll into the Indian Test side. He fought for that place. For years, his consistent performances in the Ranji Trophy made him a fixture in discussions about national selection. Those discussions often ended in frustration, with the selectors finding newer, shinier objects to experiment with, while Sarfaraz kept grinding it out in the domestic circuit. The clamour from fans, ex-players, and media eventually became too loud to ignore.

After waves of criticism (some of it directed squarely at the BCCI for its stubbornness), Sarfaraz finally made his Test debut in February 2024 against England in Rajkot. And what a debut it was. Under pressure, on a stage he had been denied for far too long, Sarfaraz scored twin fifties: 62 in the first innings, followed by an unbeaten 68. He played with a freedom that’s rare for a debutant. The message was simple: give him the backing, and he will deliver.

The 150 That Should Have Changed Everything

When New Zealand toured India later that year, Sarfaraz’s bat spoke again. In the first Test at Bengaluru, after the ignominy of a duck in the first innings, he roared back with a commanding 150, a knock that combined grit with flair. That innings should have been a turning point. It should have cemented his place and freed him from the constant fear of the axe that so many fringe players carry like a millstone. But instead of a long rope, he got the same short leash that has ended many careers prematurely.

Across his six Tests, Sarfaraz averaged around 37; respectable for someone finding his feet in the most demanding format. He had one century, three fifties, and flashes of the run-scoring machine we saw in domestic cricket. But the moment he hit a patch of modest scores, the patience ran out. The selectors dropped him for the England tour in mid-2025, citing form and the need for “experience”, a tired phrase that often masks a reluctance to invest in the future.

This is where the real question arises: Is this how you treat talent?

Dropped Before Take-Off

Test cricket is not a format for snap judgments. It demands investment. Players need time to adjust, to fail, to learn, and to grow without the guillotine of selection hanging over them. Dropping a player after a handful of games and then expecting him to perform instantly when recalled is setting him up for failure. The mental toll of this yo-yo treatment is immense. It’s not just about runs; it’s about trust, security, and the confidence that the team believes in you.

What makes Sarfaraz’s case even more baffling is that he was taken on the tour to Australia but never given a game. What was the point of taking him if the management had no intention of using him? And then, before the England series, he was out again. This is not selection, this is guesswork dressed up as strategy.

And if that wasn’t enough, we had the spectacle of the head coach, Gautam Gambhir, reportedly accusing Sarfaraz of leaking dressing room discussions to the media. This allegation, aired in a BCCI review meeting after the Australia series, was as damaging as it was unnecessary. Even if there were internal issues, addressing them in such a manner shows a startling lack of maturity from the coach. Airing grievances about a player’s conduct in semi-public forums does not solve problems; it sows distrust.

When the Coach Turns the Heat on His Own

Gautam Gambhir should realise that he is now a coach, a father figure in the dressing room. Not a class monitor given a chalk in hand to write names on the blackboard when he is asked to mind the class in the absence of a teacher!

One has to ask: what kind of team environment is being built here? When your coach is quick to throw accusations rather than shield his players, the message is clear—you’re on your own.

Let’s be clear: Sarfaraz Khan is not perfect. No young player is. His shot selection has sometimes been questioned, and like any newcomer, he will have lean patches. But the point is that these are not flaws to be punished with exclusion; they are areas to be worked on with support and guidance. Great teams are built by sticking with players through the tough times, not by chopping and changing at the first sign of struggle.

Sarfaraz Khan has already demonstrated his temperament, determination, and skill to succeed. However, he has not been provided with the stability needed to develop in his role. The inconsistent selection policy and public scrutiny of his character are undermining his confidence and sending a troubling message to young cricketers: Regardless of how hard you work, you are only one bad week away from being cast aside.

Don’t Make a Karun Nair of Sarfaraz

It’s time for the BCCI and the selectors to stop treating Test cricket like a game of musical chairs. Sarfaraz doesn’t need to be “tested” anymore; he’s earned the right to be backed. The real test now is for the system: will they have the foresight to invest in a player who could be a cornerstone of the batting order for years to come? Or will they let short-term thinking rob Indian cricket of yet another potential great?

We’ve already seen the baffling case of Karun Nair. A man who scored a triple hundred in only his third Test was inexplicably ignored for years and is now making a comeback after eight long seasons. What did you expect from his blade, another triple ton?

If he was backed right, he could have been India’s backbone. Let’s not make a Karun Nair out of Sarfaraz Khan…  a talent left waiting, wondering, and wasting away because the system couldn’t see the bigger picture.

[Moody Marty: Sometimes funny, sometimes informative, always downright forthright!]

Also Read: MCA Officials and selectors playing their own game!