Sarfaraz Khan, known for his consistent performances in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, finally earned his long desired national team call-up for India’s Test series against England after KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were ruled out of the Vizag Test due to injuries. This call-up has got a lot of former cricketers excited about the player’s debut, especially due to his impressive stats in the last few months in domestic cricket.

With heavy-named batters like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja unavailable for the second Test, Sarfaraz has a seemingly high chance to fight for his stable stay in the national squad, provided he can make use of the opportunity and be an example for other young domestic level cricketers in India. Amongst the many pundits and other former cricketers, Irfan Pathan was one of the voices who recognised the impact that Sarfaraz’s selection could make.

At the Asian Legends League Season 1 launch event in Delhi, former Indian fast-bowler Irfan Pathan shared his views on the young batter’s selection in the national team, expressing his utter delight at the decision.

“When he got selected I was happy, but I was also happy for Saurabh Kumar who has also been performing for years in the domestic circuit.” Irfan Pathan said on Sarfaraz’s selection for the England Test series.

However, Pathan also recognised the challenge that captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid will encounter in establishing a balanced team with the right combination, given the inclusion of these new players as replacements.

He emphasised that even with new players entering the squad, those initially selected into the squad should be given the first opportunity to fill the voids left by players like Rahul and Jadeja. This alluded to Rajat Patidar, who was chosen as a replacement for Kohli after the latter withdrew from the first two Tests against England, citing “personal reasons.”

“This is a small win for those players who are performing in domestic cricket. You need to give importance to domestic cricketâ€æ” Pathan added.

Pathan even discussed the importance of giving young players the chance to represent India and how that will ultimately be beneficial for the team in the long run. The 39-year-old also talked about the added pressure that will fall on the Indian side due to their loss to England in the first Test at Hyderabad.

“It would be great if the young players could get some breathing space and if they are given that, there is the chance that they go on and perform well for India in the future as well,” Pathan added.

India will be facing England in their second Test at Visakhapatnam, starting Friday, February 3, where they will be looking to bounce back from the bitter memories of Hyderabad, and we might even see Sarfaraz Khan getting his India debut, something that he has wished and worked hard for.