IND vs ENG | Sarfaraz Khan gets maiden Test call-up in wake of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja injuries

‌Sarfaraz Khan had been waiting in the wings for several years havi▨ng scored first-class runs at an average exceeding 80 since 2020 but was overlooked in the past for the likes of Rajat Patidar and Suryakumar Yadav. However, the call-up finally came as a cover for KL Rahul with the 26-year-old scoring 96 in a tour game for India A against England Lions to kick off the new year before managing scores of 4, 55, and 161 against them in the two unofficial Tests. Sarfaraz's first-c꧒lass record reads 3,912 runs at an average of 69.85 and a strike rate of 70.48.

Off-spinner Washington Sundar and left-arm orthodox Saurabh Kumar also made it to the squad as potential cover-ups for Ravindra Jadeja. The veteran had hurt his right hamstring while unsuccessfull𒐪y attempting to avoid a run-out in the second innings of the first Test and eventually hobbled off the field wincing in pain. Sundar has already represented India in three Tests, scor💎ing three half-centuries in six innings but only managing six wickets in the process. Saurabh, meanwhile, would be a part of the Indian contingent for the first time after impressing with a 77 in the latest encounter against England Lions and backing it up with a five-wicket haul to secure an innings win. The Uttar Pradesh all-rounder boasts a first-class batting average of 27.11 and a bowling average of 24.41 with 290 wickets in 68 games, including 22 fifers and eight 10-wicket hauls.

Sarfaraz is one of two options, alongside Rajat Patidar, available to India to hand a Test debut in the second test beginning February 2 in Vizag while Kuldeep Yadav is the frontrunner to slot in for J🦹adeja unless Rahul Dravid and co. opt to field an all-rounder instead.

India's updated Squad for 2nd Test vs England: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Sꦕiraj, Mukesh Kumar✃, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, Saurabh Kumar.