Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the selectors over the non-selection of Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan for the first two Tests against Australia, saying cricketers should be judged solely for their on-field performances, not by their size or shape.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sarfaraz has been a prolific run-getter in domestic cricket, especially in first-class matches. In the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, he has scored 1,910 runs in just 12 games, averaging 136.42.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
On Tuesday, he scored another century, 125, against Delhi in a Ranji Trophy Group B match, making it the batter's 13th first-class ton and third in the ongoing edition of the prestigious tournament, making people question why an India call-up eludes Sarfaraz.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"If you are looking for only slim and trim guys, then might as well go to a fashion show and find some other models and give a bat and ball in their hands and then improve them. That's not the way cricket goes."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"You have cricketers in all shapes and sizes. Don't go by the size, go by the scores or wickets. He is not staying off the field when he scores a hundred. He is back on the field again. So, all that tells you is that the man is fit," Gavaskar was quoted as saying by India Today.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gavaskar went on to say that Sarfaraz isn't unfit as he's bringing out the big hundreds every now and then in the Ranji Trophy. "How can you score runs? I think at the end of the day if you are unfit, you aren't gonna score hundreds."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Cricket fitness is the most important thing. Yo-Yo Test can't be the only criterion. You got to make sure that the man is cricket fit as well. If the person, whoever it is, is cricket fit, then I don't think it should be any matter."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sarfaraz now sits behind only Sir Don Bradman in terms of batting average after 53 first-class innings. Gavaskar concluded by saying that Sarfaraz would soon find his way into India's Test squad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"At the moment, sometimes he starts to feel frustrated. What do I need to do? He is scoring runs. He scored triple hundred, and double hundreds, people might say he scored against ordinary attacks."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I don't know, I didn't see them but then how come the other batsmen in the same team did not get 200 when he scored a triple hundred, or other batsmen did not get a hundred when he got a double hundred?"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"At the moment, sometimes he starts to feel frustrated. What do I need to do? He is scoring runs. He scored triple hundred, and double hundreds, people might say he scored against ordinary attacks."<\/p>\r\n\r\n