Sarfaraz Khan’s latest India recall for the SL Tests is the result of more than an injury opening up a spot. Over the past 18 months, the Mumbai batter has worked on his fitness, sharpened his game against spin and continued to make himself available, even when an international comeback looked unlikely.
A few days before being recalled to India’s Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka, Sarfaraz posted on social media: “I may not fit in, but I’ll fight with everything I’ve got.”
It turned out that he would get another chance. Sai Sudharsan’s injury opened the door for the 28-year-old, who had already done plenty to make himself harder to overlook.
Sarfaraz has long faced questions over his fitness despite producing extraordinary numbers in domestic cricket, including a marathon triple hundred in the Ranji Trophy. Over the past year and a half, he has lost 17kg and now carries a noticeably leaner frame.
The change has also helped his T20 game, but his preparation for a Test return has gone much deeper.
After playing some blistering knocks for Akash Tigers Western Mumbai Suburbs in the Mumbai T20 League following the IPL, Sarfaraz left Mumbai once the monsoon made regular outdoor training difficult. He spent time in Kashmir, working with net bowlers and some members of the state team.
He also trained at the MCA Indoor facility in BKC and used private facilities around Kurla, where he spent hours batting on used, under-prepared red-soil tracks. The focus was clear: prepare for conditions that would test him against spin.
That work could prove particularly valuable in Sri Lanka, where India’s batters are likely to face Prabath Jayasuriya and company.
Sarfaraz’s last Test appearance came in 2024, after he was dropped following four failures against New Zealand. The decision was difficult to digest, particularly because India’s batting unit had struggled collectively during that series.
He continued to push his case. Sarfaraz scored 92 for India A against the England Lions and followed it with a century in an intra-squad game at Beckenham. Yet the India return remained out of reach.
With Sudharsan now injured, the selectors had alternatives in Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shaikh Rasheed. Sarfaraz, however, offered something particularly valuable: a proven ability against spin and a wider range of scoring options, including the conventional and reverse sweep.
Now, the opportunity he had been waiting for has arrived. After doing the work to “fit in”, Sarfaraz finally has another chance to fight his way back into India’s Test plans.
