Sarfaraz Khan Moved to No. 8: Criticism Arises During Mumbai Test Against New Zealand
During the Mumbai Test against New Zealand, the Indian team management’s decision to move Sarfaraz Khan to the No. 8 batting position has sparked criticism. This change was due to Mohammed Siraj being used as a nightwatchman, which altered the batting order. As a result, Sarfaraz Khan was pushed down to make way for Ravindra Jadeja.
Former India batter and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar criticized this decision, questioning the logic of pushing an in-form Sarfaraz down the order. Manjrekar highlighted Sarfaraz’s recent impressive performances, including scoring 150 runs in the Bangalore Test. He expressed his views on social media, stating, “A guy in form, has 3 fifties in his first 3 Tests, gets 150 in the Bangalore Test, a good player of spin, pushed back in the order to keep left & right combination?? Makes no sense. Sarfraz now walking in at no 8! Poor call by India.”
In the Mumbai Test, Sarfaraz was dismissed for a four-ball duck, marking his third duck in ten Test innings. This was particularly disappointing as it happened on his home ground, where he often practices with his family.
The strategy of maintaining a left-right combination has been a notable tactic under Gautam Gambhir’s coaching. This approach was evident during his maiden ODI campaign against Sri Lanka, where similar reshuffles were made. The changes also led to Ravichandran Ashwin batting at No. 10 for the first time in his 105-Test career.
Doubts Revealed
Sarfaraz Khan -: Sarfaraz Khan is an Indian cricketer known for his batting skills. He plays for the Mumbai team in domestic cricket.
No. 8 position -: In cricket, the batting order is numbered, and the No. 8 position means Sarfaraz was the eighth player to bat in the match.
Mumbai Test -: A Test match is a long format cricket game. The Mumbai Test refers to a match played in Mumbai, a city in India, against New Zealand.
Mohammed Siraj -: Mohammed Siraj is an Indian cricketer who is primarily a bowler. He was used as a nightwatchman in this match.
Nightwatchman -: A nightwatchman is a lower-order batsman sent in to bat towards the end of the day to protect better batsmen from getting out.
Sanjay Manjrekar -: Sanjay Manjrekar is a former Indian cricketer and now a cricket commentator. He often shares his opinions on cricket matches.
Duck -: In cricket, a ‘duck’ means a batsman gets out without scoring any runs.
Left-right combination -: This strategy involves alternating left-handed and right-handed batsmen to make it harder for bowlers to adjust their line and length.
Gautam Gambhir -: Gautam Gambhir is a former Indian cricketer and currently a coach. He was known for his aggressive batting style.
