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NEW DELHI: Sarfaraz Khan‘s place in India’s Test plans appears increasingly uncertain, but the Mumbai batter has made it clear that he is not ready to give up.Amid his continued absence from the national squad, Sarfaraz shared a cryptic Instagram story recently, posting a still from the 2019 Telugu film Jersey with a message that appeared to reflect his current situation.“I may not fit in, but I’ll fight with everything I’ve got.”The post quickly caught the attention of Indian cricket fans, coming just days before India begin their two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Sarfaraz was once again overlooked for the series despite boasting one of the strongest first-class records among India’s middle-order contenders.The 28-year-old has averaged an extraordinary 64.73 in 62 first-class matches but has played only six Tests for India. He was part of India’s squad for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy but did not feature in a single game Down Under.
Sarfaraz Khan
From Test century to selection uncertainty
Sarfaraz’s omission is particularly notable given the impact he made during India’s home series against New Zealand in 2024.He scored a memorable 150 in the first Test in Bengaluru, one of the few positives from a series in which India suffered a historic 0-3 whitewash at home. However, he struggled to replicate that success in the remainder of the series and managed a highest score of only 11 thereafter.He was subsequently included in India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but did not feature in the series. Since then, opportunities to reclaim his place have remained scarce.Sarfaraz was also part of the India A setup during the England tour but remained on the fringes, suggesting that the selectors currently have other options ahead of him in the Test pecking order.
Fitness transformation, IPL comeback
Fitness had also been a recurring talking point around Sarfaraz, but the Mumbai batter has since undergone a significant transformation, shedding weight and improving his conditioning.He also returned to the IPL in 2026 after going unsold in the previous two auctions. Chennai Super Kings handed him an opportunity and Sarfaraz responded with 161 runs at a strike rate of 169.47, including two half-centuries.India are currently playing a three-day warm-up game in Colombo ahead of the series, with the first Test scheduled to begin in Galle on August 15 and the second at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
