Sarfaraz’s return has been welcomed by several experts, including Kaif, who said he was pleased to see the batter back in the Indian setup
Published: August 12, 2026, 11:13 PM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/sports/sarfaraz-khan-asked-to-forget-past-and-start-afresh-as-he-returns-to-the-test-side-for-sri-lanka-series-8500082/
India’s Sarfaraz Khan walks off the field after losing his wicket during the day four of the first cricket test match between India and New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 19, 2024(Photo: IANS/Dhananjay Yadav)
Sarfaraz Khan has returned to the Indian Test team after being away from the national side for one and a half yearsHis recall has also brought attention to his past with the team with former India batter Mohammad Kaif asking him to put those issues behind him and focus on the future.
Sarfaraz was last involved with India during the 2024-25 tour of Australia, where he remained an unused player before eventually being droppedThe Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee then kept him out of the national team for around 18 months.
The middle-order batter has now been recalled for India’s Test series against Sri LankaHe comes into the squad as a replacement for the injured Sai Sudharsan.
Sarfaraz’s return has been welcomed by several experts, including Kaif, who said he was pleased to see the batter back in the Indian setupKaif also praised the decision to bring him back, saying he salutes whoever convinced the decision-makers to give Sarfaraz another opportunity.
Also Read: Babar Azam returns to top 10 Test batting rankings for the first time in two years
According to Kaif, Sarfaraz could be useful in Sri Lanka because the pitches could favour spinHe pointed out that Sarfaraz has shown that he can play spin well and could make a contribution to India’s chances in the series.
Kaif, however, believes Sarfaraz should not remain focused on what happened during his time away from the teamHe wants the batter to forget the past and concentrate on taking his career forward while also helping Indian cricket move ahead.
The former India batter also admitted that Sarfaraz’s long absence had raised several questionsHe pointed out that the batter did not receive consistent opportunities before being dropped, and there was no clear explanation given for his exclusion.
Sarfaraz’s name was also missing from India A discussions during that period, which added to the questions surrounding his omissionKaif said these developments led to rumours and speculation about why the batter was not being considered.
However, Kaif stressed that Sarfaraz’s exclusion was not because he had stopped scoring runsThe Mumbai batter had performed well when given opportunities, including during India’s Test series against New Zealand.
Sarfaraz had scored a 150-run innings against New Zealand and had been in good formHe had also made an impact in his Test debut against England, giving him a strong start to his international career.
