Sarfaraz Khan will not feature in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy 2024-25 opener against Baroda. News agency PTI has confirmed that Sarfaraz will be spending time at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru ahead of the three-match Test series against the Kiwis at home.
The Mumbai selectors have picked the squad for their first two matches of the tourmament and Sarfaraz Khan's name is missing from the Ajinkya Rahane-led side which also features Pritvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer. The 26-year-old middle-order batter, fresh from a double hundred in Irani Cup 2024 against Rest Of India in Lucknow, is likely to retain his place in the Indian side.
Notably, Sarfaraz was even part of India's squad for the home Tests against Bangladesh but was released from the contingent ahead of the second Test in Kanpur so that he could play the Irani Cup match. Sarfaraz grabbed the opportunity with both hands and smashed a double ton.
Notably, India preferred Karnataka batter KL Rahul in their Playing 11 but Sarfaraz nonetheless is likely to retain his place in the side and even get a place in the starting 11 should a rotation policy or workload management come into picture. An injury to any of the middle-order batters will also bring Sarfaraz into the Playing 11 and he remains a good back-up option.
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Mumbai Squad
Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Prithvi Shaw, Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer, Siddhessh Lad, Suryansh Shedge, Hardik Tamore (wicketkeeper), Sidhaant Addhatrao (wicketkeeper), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, Mohd. Juned Khan, Royston Dias.