'Sometimes it might look wrong in the fans' eyes, but please don't twist things or create narratives that aren't even close to the truth.'
Sarfaraz Khan's omission from the India A team to pay South Africa has split opinion across Indian cricket.
While several former players, including Ravichandran Ashwin, questioned the logic behind the decision, Irfan Pathan came to the defence of the selection committee, urging fans not to rush to judgment or 'twist narratives'.
Sarfaraz, one of domestic cricket's most prolific run-scorers in recent years, had undergone a remarkable transformation this season.
Over the summer, he shed 17 kilograms, a change that was immediately reflected in his performances. He looked leaner, sharper, and in rhythm -- scoring back-to-back centuries in the Buchi Babu tournament ahead of the season.
However, a poorly timed injury ruled him out of both the Duleep Trophy and the Test squad for the home series against the West Indies.
Ironically, he was declared fit just two days after the squad announcement, and soon after, he marked his return with a 74-run knock in the Ranji Trophy opener. Despite that, his name was missing once again when the India A team was revealed.
As fans and experts vented their frustration online, Pathan took to X to defend the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee and Coach Gautam Gambhir, urging patience and perspective.
'Selectors and the coach (management) will always have a plan. Sometimes it might look wrong in the fans' eyes, but please don't twist things or create narratives that aren't even close to the truth.'
On his YouTube channel earlier in the day, Ashwin offered a more sobering assessment of Sarfaraz's situation, suggesting that the latest omission could have serious implications for his international future.
The decision to keep Sarfaraz out might well be a sign that the door to the national team is 'closing fast' for the Mumbai batter, a reality that, as Ashwin pointed out, reflects just how tough the selection landscape has become in Indian cricket.
Adding another layer to the controversy, Congress leader Shama Mohamed on Wednesday drew a religious angle to Sarfaraz's omission. On X, Mohamed -- who earlier made an ill-advised comment on Rohit Sharma's weight -- questioned whether Sarfaraz's exclusion was influenced by his religious identity.
'Is Sarfaraz Khan not selected because of his surname! #justasking', Mohamed tweeted. 'We know where Gautam Gambhir stands on that matter.'
Retired cricketer Atul Wassan criticised Shama Mohammed's remarks, saying he felt "ashamed" as part of the cricketing fraternity over attempts to bring communal narratives into the sport.
Wassan said India has always maintained a higher moral ground compared to its neighbours and emphasised that cricketers are valued for their talent, not religion.
"As a former player, I feel ashamed that a certain party spokesperson has said that. Look at our neighbours, how cricketers had to survive. Someone had to convert from Christianity to Islam to survive. How Hindu players were ostracised there. It has never happened here," Wassan told ANI.
"That is why we held a higher moral ground but if our political parties will use a player as a pawn. Very unfortunate. Whenever this communal card is played in sports in India, I feel wretched in my stomach."
"I played cricket; we had never even thought of any other cricketer in terms of their community or where they came from, because it is the quality of the player. She forgets that India has been led by Mohammad Azharuddin for 12 years. Even currently, too, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj."
"I still believe that Sarfaraz should have been there," Wassan added. "That is an entirely different topic, that's a cricketing topic where we can debate, and our opinion is different from the selector's opinion. But that doesn't mean that you give this shape and tenor of him being from a particular community."
"Then you are maligning all the cricketers and the system. It is a big insult to the Indian cricket system," Wassan stated.
India A will play two four-day matches against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
The first match is scheduled to be played from October 30 to November 2, while the second is slated for November 6 to 9.
After years of toil in domestic cricket, Sarfaraz, 27, finally got to make his debut in Tests under Rohit Sharma at home against England in February last year. Since then, he has made 371 runs in six Tests at an average of 37.10, striking at a healthy 74.94, with a century and three fifties in 11 innings and a best score of 150.
He last played for India at home against New Zealand at Wankhede in November last year.
Sarfaraz averages 65.19 in 56 matches in first-class cricket. In 56 fixtures, he has slammed 2,467 runs, including 16 hundreds and 15 fifties, with a strike rate of 70.99.
India squad for first four-day match: Rishabh Pant (captain, wicket-keeper), Ayush Mhatre, N Jagadeesan (wicket-keeper), Sai Sudharsan (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Anshul Kamboj, Yash Thakur, Ayush Badoni, Saransh Jain.
India squad for second four-day match: Rishabh Pant, K L Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
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