Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has advised Sarfaraz Khan to draw inspiration from Karun Nair in his bid to return to the Indian Test squad. Sarfaraz, who made his Test debut against England, was dropped from the squad for the upcoming England tour, while Nair secured a comeback after eight years, following his stellar performances in domestic cricket and county championships.
Gavaskar’s Advice to Sarfaraz Khan
Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar emphasized that consistent performances are key to securing a permanent spot in the national team. He cited Jaydev Unadkat and Karun Nair as examples of players who persevered and forced their way back into the squad through domestic cricket excellence.
“Even Jaydev played his first Test at a very young age, and then it took 13 years or so to play another Test. He persevered, he went on picking wickets in domestic cricket. Like Unadkat, Karun has kept on scoring big hundreds. That’s why the selection committee had to bring him back. A man in form is one of your best bets,” Gavaskar said.
Tough Call on Sarfaraz Khan’s Exclusion
Gavaskar acknowledged that dropping Sarfaraz was a difficult decision, but stressed that players must make themselves “undroppable” by consistently delivering strong performances.
“It’s tough, that’s what cricket is all about. When you get opportunities, you have to make sure the place is yours. Even if you score a hundred, you should make sure that you don’t go into your next innings thinking you scored a hundred in the previous knock. You have to get your eye in and get those runs again,” Gavaskar added.
Future Outlook for Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz, who has played six Tests for India, scoring 371 runs at an average of 37.10, will need to continue knocking on the selectors’ doors with dominant performances in domestic cricket to reclaim his spot in the national team.
