Revealed: Why Sarfaraz Khan couldn't make it to India A squad for multi-day matches against Australia A despite hot form

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finally unveiled India's A squad for the upcoming unofficial Test series against Australia A. Shreyas Iyer will be seen leading the India A's pack which is stacked with talent and looks formidable, especially with the inclusion of players like B. Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, and Prasidh Krishna. However, the squad also has some notable omissions, most surprisingly that of Sarfaraz Khan, which has left many fans wondering why he was left out.

Sarfaraz recently turned heads with his outstanding performance in the Buchi Babu invitational tournament. The Mumbai batter, who had been dropped from India's main Test squad after the home series against New Zealand, was in brilliant form, even scoring a century. Unfortunately, his run of form was cut short when a quadricep injury forced him to withdraw from the Duleep Trophy.

Why Sarfaraz Khan is missing from India A's squad for unofficial Test series against Australia A?

It turns out the injury is the reason for his absence from the A-squad. Sarfaraz is still recovering from the quadriceps injury sustained during the Buchi Babu tournament, which was expected to sideline him for two to three weeks. Given his recovery timeline, the BCCI was unable to select him for the upcoming series.

Sarfaraz Khan's recent quadricep injury is a significant blow to his hopes of a Test comeback. His excellent form in the Buchi Babu tournament had put him in a prime position to be a key player for the India A side. A strong performance in the unofficial Test series against Australia A would have been a golden opportunity for him to impress team management and earn a spot in the main squad for the upcoming home series against the West Indies.

Sarfaraz's misfortune, however, presents a major opportunity for his competitors. With him sidelined, players like Devdutt Padikkal, N. Jagadeesan, and B. Sai Sudharsan now have a chance to shine. Sudharsan will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing run in the England Tests, while Padikkal and Jagadeesan will be eager to prove their worth and make a strong case for their own return to the Test setup.

India A squad for Australia A series:

Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhimanyu Easwaran, N Jagadeesan (WK), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (VC & WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Ayush Badoni, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed, Manav Suthar, Yash Thakur