Sarfaraz Khan set to miss Ranji opener, may get India call for IND vs NZ series

India’s talented batter Sarfaraz Khan is set to miss Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy opener against Baroda on October 11. Following his match-winning performance in the Irani Cup last week, where he scored an unbeaten 222*, Sarfaraz will be at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for fitness assessments, according to reports.

Sarfaraz to Get a Call-up for IND vs NZ

With India’s Test squad announcement for the upcoming series against New Zealand imminent, Sarfaraz is expected to be in contention for a place. Mumbai will be playing Baroda in their opening Ranji Trophy game, followed by a home match against Maharashtra on October 18. These games coincide with the India-New Zealand Test series set to begin on October 16 in Bengaluru, where Sarfaraz could be a key inclusion.

Sarfaraz’s Irani Trophy Heroics

Sarfaraz’s recent heroics in the Irani Trophy saw him lead Mumbai to victory against the Rest of India team. His monumental 222-run knock in the first innings helped Mumbai post a total of 537 runs. Despite the match ending in a draw, Mumbai was declared the winner due to a higher first-innings score, further cementing Sarfaraz’s importance in the domestic circuit.

Mumbai Ranji Squad for First Two Matches

The Mumbai selectors have named the squad for their first two Ranji matches. The squad includes captain Ajinkya Rahane, along with notable names like Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur, and Shreyas Iyer.

Mumbai Ranji Squad: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer, Siddhessh Lad, Suryansh Shedge, Hardik Tamore (WK), Sidhaant Addhatrao (WK), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, Mohd. Juned Khan, Royston Dias.