Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim criticized Gautam Gambhir and the Indian team management for not giving chances to Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Karim believes that Sarfaraz and Easwaran have played enough domestic cricket and are ready to play Test cricket. Both these players were in India's squad for the Test series against Australia but did not get a game.
While Sarfaraz has already made his India debut, Easwaran is yet to play an international match. Easwaran was in line to make his Test debut before the series when Rohit Sharma was absent for the first Test. However, the Indian team management chose KL Rahul as the opener to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal.
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Gautam Gambhir criticized by Saba Karim for not giving chances to Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran
While talking to Sportstar, Saba Karim was disappointed with the way Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran were treated by the management of the Indian team led by Gautam Gambhir. He believes these players have done well in domestic and India A cricket, which makes them worth Test cricket.
“It's very disheartening because one is prepared to face many challenges, but this is out of their control. That's how I see it. I seriously believe that domestic cricketers need to be rewarded,” said Karim.
“And here, we are not just talking about domestic cricketers but players who have done well while representing India A in the past, which means they have been tested many times and that is why you have taken them as a part. of the Test team,” he added.
Saba Karim slams the selectors
Saba Karim further criticized the selectors for selecting these players despite not considering them good enough to play. He called the selectors to pass judgment without giving these players a fair chance.
“Logically, it makes sense to give them an opportunity whenever an opportunity arises. I find it strange that these two cricketers who are part of the team were not even considered for selection. If that was the case, then why did you choose them in the first place?” argued the former India wicketkeeper.
“If you weren't sure of their technical expertise to do well in Australia, then you really should have taken someone else. I feel very strongly that without trying them under those conditions, how can we decide they're not good enough for those conditions?” he asked.
While KL Rahul was picked over Abhimanyu Easwaran based on his previous experience of playing in Australia, India picked young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy over Sarfaraz Khan. Reddy emerged as one of the breakthroughs of the series as he shone with the bat and played some outstanding shots under pressure.
“Rough with Abhimanyu and Sarfaraz” – Saba Karim
Saba Karim called the selection decision quite tough against Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sarfaraz Khan. He reminded the selectors of Sarfaraz's knock against New Zealand in Bengaluru where he scored a magnificent hundred under pressure.
“He was tough on Abhimanyu (Easwaran) and Sarfaraz (Khan). Sarfaraz had two Test matches before his hundred in Bengaluru where the rest of the team struggled, barring Rishabh Pant,” explained Karim.
“And after that, he played two Test matches and both the matches were in series. Forget Sarfaraz, none of the other Indian batsmen scored runs. So with that in mind, I don't understand this decision,” he added. .
Both Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran have scored plenty of runs in first-class cricket and have been regulars for India A as well. Sarfaraz has scored 4593 runs in 54 matches at an average of 65.61 with 16 hundreds and 14 fifty.
Sarfaraz Khan played six Tests and scored 371 runs at an average of 37.10. On the other hand, Abhimanyu Easwaran scored 7674 runs in 101 matches at an average of 48.87 with 27 hundreds and 29 fifties.