India's Sarfaraz Khan.
Mumbai: "Why should I work hard?" Middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan on Monday sounded bitter after improved fitness and consistent runs at domestic cricket failed to secure him a return to the Indian Test team. Sarfaraz's last appearance in India whites came against New Zealand in 2024 at the Wankhede Stadium.
"So much has happened. I am not thinking much. I wake up every morning and ask myself the same question, 'why should I work hard?" Sarfaraz told reporters here after the first day's play of Mumbai's Ranji Trophy match against Railways.
"The same routine starts at 5:00am in the morning... I have played for India. Even with a normal routine I can play Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, because I have been scoring those 30s, 50s and the 100s," he added.
The 29-year-old said his father, Naushad Khan, remains his inspiration in tough times.
"But sometimes, the question pops up and when I see my father working hard, then I think 'okay, I will go out there and score for him.' I have the same routine.
"Everyone knows that if you want to meet Sarfaraz Khan you don't have to come to his home address but you can meet him either at the Azad Maidan or the Cross Maidan at 6:00am," he added.
Sarfaraz said he is just focusing on his cricket without thinking too far ahead.
"I didn't even know that I would get a call for Sri Lanka. I was at the NCA and I was called up, but I didn't get the opportunity. I came back and I am playing cricket for Mumbai. I don't even understand (it anymore); I am just playing.
"If they (national selectors) call me up I will go and play (for India). If they do not call me up, I will play here," he said.
But Sarfaraz made a rather startling claim that the Indian team is looking at his services only for Test matches at home, even though he is yet to get a clear word from the powers that be on his role.
Sarfaraz, who made his debut in February 2024, so far played all the six Test matches in his career at home venues.
The right-hander was a part of the India squad that toured Sri Lanka recently as a replacement for injured Sai Sudharsan but was never included in the playing 11. Prior to that, he was also in the India squad that toured Australia, but he could not break into the eleven.
"No selector said this in particular, but when I was with the Indian team, I only heard that they are looking at me more for the Indian conditions," he said.
The Mumbai batter, who made a 55 off 100 balls against Railways at the Brabourne on Monday, found his non-inclusion in squads for away tours perplexing.
Sarfaraz used his hundreds in intra-squad matches in South Africa and England to underline his argument.
"But still I have a question that when I went to South Africa, I made a hundred against the Indian team from 60 balls (off 63 balls) and when I went to England, I scored hundred runs in 60 balls (101 off 76 balls)," he said.
Sarfaraz made a 63-ball hundred for India A against senior Indian side at Pretoria ahead of the 2023-24 tour, a year later he made a 76-ball hundred for India A in Beckenham ahead of a five-Test series.
However, he was not selected for either of those two senior tours.
"So, it's not that I have not scored runs outside (of India). I have scored runs. It's alright, it's their lookout, it's their perspective. My job is to play cricket," he said.
But the aggressive batter's last four Test innings produced scores of 11, 9, 0, 1 against New Zealand in Pune and Mumbai in 2024, eventually leading to his ouster.
He pointed out the difficulty in playing on spin-friendly tracks suddenly after spending time abroad for the debacle in that series.
"When you come back to India to play on big rank turners…yes, you get to the Indian team after so much struggle in domestic cricket, but suddenly you would not be able to perform on such difficult wickets," he added
Father on his side
Sarfaraz gave credit to his father, who is always on his side, for unstinting support.
"Everyone knows that I don't have support in my life. If I have support then it is only from my father. No one has supported me in my life.
"But I have worked hard and fulfilled my father's dream. It is not easy to play for India in this generation.
"It's not that I have scored once or twice (in domestic cricket) and played for India; I have made 250s and 300s and have worked hard to play for India. If someone has supported me, it is my father."
Sarfaraz wanted to spend as much time as possible on the field.
"… the only motivation is that I have to play cricket. I do not like to sit at home in the off-season. Wherever I would get an opportunity, be it Ranji Trophy, or (Syed) Mushtaq Ali (Trophy), or IPL, or Indian team, or India, A… I just want to play cricket."
The burning desire led the Mumbai cricketer to work on his fitness, cutting 22 kilograms.
"No, no one told me that I should reduce weight. But whatever I heard on social media, or heard from someone that weight should be reduced, I have done it. I can't do anything more than that."
"In reality, my weight was on the higher side. Earlier I had lost 10 kgs. Now I have lost 22 kgs. I have lost 12 kgs more. My footwork is going well. I worked hard in the off-season," he said.
"I feel I used to play better when I was fat," he quipped before regaining the serious tone.
"I am getting runs. Not everyday or every year is the same. Ups and downs will be there but as long as you are not out of form, it's alright," he signed off.
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