Sarfaraz Khan Snubbed From India’s Test Squad for England Tour Despite Big Weight Loss; X Expresses disappointment

The BCCI announced the 18-member Indian Test squad for the upcoming five-match series against England. The selection panel was led by Ajit Agarkar. One big surprise was the omission of middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan. He had played in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2025-26 series.

Sarfaraz worked hard on his fitness ahead of the England tour. He reportedly lost 10 kilograms. His diet mainly included boiled vegetables and chicken. Despite his effort, the selectors chose Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair instead of him.

Selection Panel Explains Tough Decisions

At the press conference, Ajit Agarkar spoke about the squad. He said, “We can’t pick 50 players now, so naturally when you have to pick 18, some players will miss out.” He didn’t name Sarfaraz directly but made it clear the choices were tough.

Sarfaraz debuted in Test cricket against England in 2024. He has played six Tests so far. He scored 371 runs at an average of 37.10. He made two half-centuries in his debut series. India won that match by 434 runs in Rajkot. However, Sarfaraz has yet to play a Test outside India. This might have influenced the selectors.

India Embarks on England Tour With New Batting Lineup

India will tour England without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both legends retired from Test cricket recently. Together, they played over 190 Tests and scored more than 13,000 runs. This leaves India with a less experienced batting lineup.

The five-Test series starts on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. The other venues are Edgbaston (July 2-6), Lord’s (July 10-14), Old Trafford (July 23-27), and The Oval (July 31-August 4). India aims for their first Test series win in England since 2007.

Fans React Strongly on Social Media

Fans expressed strong opinions on Sarfaraz’s exclusion. Many praised his hard work and called for “Justice for Sarfaraz Khan.”

One tweet said:
“Sarfaraz lost 10 kgs to make the squad and still got dropped? This is unfair. #JusticeForSarfaraz”

Another fan wrote:
“Sarfaraz showed great talent in the Border-Gavaskar series. He deserves another chance on England tour.”

A third post read:
“Selectors should reward hard work. Sarfaraz Khan’s exclusion is disappointing. Hope BCCI rethinks.”

Sarfaraz was recently named to the India A squad. He will play upcoming matches against England Lions and an intra-squad game against India’s senior team. Fans will watch closely to see if he forces his way back into the senior squad.

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