The debate over India’s selection policies has once again taken centre stage after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed anger over the omission of Sarfaraz Khan from the India A squad. The prolific Mumbai batter, who has one of the best first-class averages in recent years, was overlooked once again despite consistent performances — a move Tharoor called nothing short of an “outrage.”
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Thiruvananthapuram MP wrote:
“This is frankly an outrage. @SarfarazA_54 averages 65-plus in first-class cricket, scored a fifty on Test debut and a 150 in a Test we lost, made 92 in his only tour match in England (and a century in the practice match against the full Indian Test team) — and still finds himself excluded from the selectors’ frame of reference.”
Tharoor’s post quickly gained traction among fans and cricket pundits, reigniting discussions about how domestic cricket is often undervalued compared to IPL performances.
Scroll to load tweet…
Tharoor didn’t stop there. He went on to defend other senior players who continue to shine in domestic cricket but remain out of the national radar.
“I am very glad to see @ajinkyarahane88, @PrithviShaw and @karun126 making runs in the #RanjiTrophy. Our selectors are too quick to discard proven talent in order to take a punt on ‘potential.’ Runs in domestic cricket must be valued, not just the #IPL; otherwise why should anyone bother to play the Ranji?” he questioned.
His statement struck a chord with many fans who believe the Ranji Trophy, once considered the gateway to India’s national side, is slowly losing its relevance in the age of franchise cricket.
Tharoor’s remarks come amid growing criticism from several senior Indian cricketers who have publicly questioned the current selection approach.
Recently, Mohammed Shami took a subtle dig at the selectors after a five-wicket haul for Bengal, saying players should not have to “prove themselves twice” to make a comeback.
Similarly, Ajinkya Rahane, who scored a magnificent 159 for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, spoke against what he termed “age-based selection,” insisting that “intent and experience” should matter just as much as youth.
Karun Nair, too, voiced frustration after being ignored despite scoring over 1,500 runs in the last two Ranji seasons, while Shardul Thakur hinted at the lack of clarity in all-rounder selections.
