India's middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan was dropped from the Test squad without getting a single game in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Since then, Sarfaraz has made selectors rethink their decision with a 92-run knock for India A against England Lions followed by a blazing century in the ongoing intra-squad game in Beckenham. Ahead of the first Test against England, Sarfaraz walked out to bat at no.6 and took the 'Bazball' approach as he hit 15 fours, two sixes in his 76-ball 101.
Sarfaraz was retired out after he scored the century. India's chief selector Ajit Garkar and National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman were present at the venue as well. The match is being played behind closed doors and media entry is restricted.
Sarfaraz's Test numbers
Sarfaraz's last Test was against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium where he registered scores of 0 and 1. Since his 150-run knock at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, he has managed to score 21 runs from four innings. On Australia tour, he got a chance to play a pink-ball warm-up match where he was dismissed for just a single. The 27-year-old has played six Tests so far and scored 371 runs at an average of 37.10, including one century and three fifties.
What happened on Day 2 of intra-squad game?
Apart from Sarfaraz, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar got starts but could not go on to get big scores. Ruturaj Gaikwad was dismissed for a two-ball duck by Mohammed Siraj. Nitish Reddy trapped Easwaran in front of the stumps fo ra score of 39. Sudharsan edged one to Rishabh Pant off Prasidh Krishna's bowling for 38. Krishna got rid of Sundar off the first ball. Sundar batted again and scored 35 runs from 49 balls. He was dismissed by Siraj.
Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan scored at a brisk rate as well. Kishan scored 45 runs from 55 ball, including seven fours and remained unbeate. On the other end, Shardul Thakur hit four fours in his unbeaten 10-ball 19. At the end of Day 2's play, India A were at 299/6. They still trail by 160 runs as India posted 459 on the board.
Meanwhile, India's left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, pace-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah remained wicketless. Arshdeep bowled 12 overs including two maidens and conceded 52 runs. Bumrah bowled seven overs including two maidens and conceded 36 runs.