Former Indian fast bowler Dodda Ganesh has publicly questioned the sudden momentum behind including Sarfaraz Khan in the playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka, which begins on August 15 at Galle. The Mumbai-based batter was recently added to the squad as a replacement for the injured Sai Sudharsan, sparking a debate regarding whether he should occupy the No. 6 batting position ahead of Dhruv Jurel.
Addressing the situation on his X handle, Ganesh expressed his bewilderment at the shift in selection preference, stating, "All of a sudden there is a clamour to play Sarfaraz Khan, who’s picked as a replacement to play at no 6 instead of Dhruv Jurel. Indian cricket never ceases to amaze you. If you’d so much belief in Sarfaraz’s ability to play spin, why didn’t you pick him in the original squad?"
The debate is particularly notable because Jurel was already part of the original 15-member squad as the designated back-up wicketkeeper. Jurel gained significant match practice recently, featuring for India A in two red-ball games against Sri Lanka A and participating in the warm-up match against the Sri Lanka Cricket XI. Furthermore, he was part of the playing XI during India’s home Test against Afghanistan this past June. Conversely, Sarfaraz Khan has not appeared for India since the home Test series against New Zealand in November 2024.
Statistical comparisons between the two players show that both made their debuts in the same 2024 home series against England. While Jurel has played 10 red-ball matches compared to Sarfaraz’s six, Sarfaraz holds a slightly superior batting average of 37.10, featuring one century and three half-centuries. Jurel, whose form has fluctuated after a strong start, maintains an overall average of 34.14 across 16 innings with one century and one half-century. When looking specifically at the No. 6 position, Sarfaraz has averaged 31.20 in six innings, while Jurel has averaged 18.75 in four innings at that spot.
