May 24 marked a significant day for Karun Nair as he made his return to the Test lineup for the first time since the 2018 tour of England. The Karnataka batter was included in India’s 18-man squad for the five-match Test series against England. Sarfaraz Khan, on the other hand, was dropped.
Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, revealed the reason behind Sarfaraz Khan non-selection.
Sarfaraz Khan made his Test debut in 2024 against England on home soil. He played six innings and scored 371 runs at an average close to 40. He struck a century against New Zealand at home in the opening match, but struggled in hbe remaining contests. Sarfaraz was a part of Team India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but was not included in the playing XI in five games.
Meanwhile, Karun Nair has been rewarded for his consistency in domestic cricket.
“It was a tough decision for one player and fair for another. Right now, Karun has scored a lot of runs in domestic cricket and also played in county cricket,” Agarkar said.
Sarfaraz Khan shed 10 kg to be in shape for the England tour.
“At times, making the right decisions is crucial. Sarfaraz, for instance, scored a century in the first Test against New Zealand, but didn’t manage to continue his form. These are the kinds of choices that the team management has to make. Karun was among the runs in domestic cricket and has prior Test experience, and has also played county cricket,” he added.