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Veteran politician Shashi Tharoor slammed the selectors' decision to snub Sarfaraz Khan from the India 'A' squad for the upcoming unofficial Tests against South Africa 'A'. The Mumbai batter failed to find a place in the Rishabh Pant-led side despite solid numbers and a decent start to the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. Sarfaraz Khan last played for India during the home series against New Zealand, and was not considered for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy or the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. While middle-order slots have been up for grabs amid transition, the likes of Karun Nair, Devdutt Padikkal, and Dhruv Jurel have been preferred for the same. "This is frankly an outrage. @SarfarazA_54 averages 65-plus in first class cricket, scored a 50 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," Shashi Tharoor posted on X. The politician also highlighted the selectors' tendency to trigger a transition by incorporating new talent into the side at the expense of the proven veterans. Discarded players like Karun Nair, Mohammad Shami, and Ajinkya Rahane made massive statements on and off the field amid he second round of the Ranji Trophy fixtures. All three aforementioned players pointed out a lack of communication and opportunities from the team management. Shami and Rahane have not played a single Test since 2023. Nair, on the other hand, was dropped for the home series against the West Indies after a mediocre series in England upon his return after an eight-year absence. "I am also 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". These are players who have proven themselves over and over again. Runs in domestic cricket must be valued by the selectors, not just the #IPL; otherwise why should anyone bother to play the Ranji?" Tharoor added. Mohammad Shami bagged eight wickets in Bengal's win over Gujarat at the Eden Gardens. Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair both scored tons in drawn contests for their respective sides. "There was no communication" - Ajinkya Rahane's huge remark on selectors after sublime ton in 2025-26 Ranji Trophy Ajinkya Rahane's last Test appearance came during the 2023 tour of the West Indies. Since then, he has been among the runs in the domestic circuit for Mumbai, but a recall has never arrived, with selectors moving towards younger names. “After playing so much cricket, when experienced players like me were dropped, I got a sense that there’s something different. I feel an experienced player like me should get more chances when he makes a comeback. But there was no communication," Rahane told Sportstar.“But I still enjoy my game. I can focus on the controllable, which I’m doing right now. Whether they select me or not, that’s their call, but I personally feel that the Indian team needed me in Australia, and I was fully ready for it," he added. Team India needed batters amid Shubman Gill's injury and Rohit Sharma's absence for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series opener in Perth. On that occasion, the team drafted in Devdutt Padikkal to the squad, while Dhruv Jurel played as a pure batter to plug the holes in the playing XI.
