Aakash Chopra feels Sarfaraz Khan would have been picked by an IPL franchise for the upcoming season if the auction was held tomorrow. He commented after Sarfaraz scored a blistering fifty in the first innings of the fifth Test in Dharamsala. The right-handed batter scored 56 off 60 balls to help India to take a lead of 255 runs at stumps on Day 2.
The Mumbai batter was not signed by any team for IPL 2024 despite his aggressive batting in domestic cricket. Chopra was not surprised by Sarfaraz not finding a team in the tournament.
“I am not surprised that Sarfaraz will not play in IPL 2024 as recency bias in important. Pat Cummins was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for 20.50 crore. If the auction was held tomorrow, Sarfaraz would have got a contract,” he said.
“The auction should be dependent on the performance of a player in the last five to seven years in the T20 format. Sarfaraz was given his first contract when he was 18. He has played for three franchises,” he added.
Chopra further stated that Sarfaraz hasn’t been given consistent run in the league and feels people are only talking about him now because of his attacking innings in the England Test series.
“He hasn’t got many opportunities in the Indian Premier League. People are talking about him because of what he has done against England. Pat Cummins became huge after he led Australia to an emphatic win over India in the final of the ICC World Cup 2023. Sarfaraz is doing something similar,” he concluded.
Sarfaraz has been a part of 50 matches in the IPL and scored 585 runs at an average of 22.5. He represented Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals.