Sarfaraz Khan, the 27-year-old batter who has been in and out of the Indian squad, has reportedly made a strong statement with a century in the ongoing intra-squad match at Beckenham, Kent. This performance comes under the observation of VVS Laxman, who stepped in after head coach Gautam Gambhir had to leave due to a family emergency. Gambhir’s mother was admitted to the ICU after suffering a heart attack, prompting his return to India. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, are assisting Laxman in Gambhir's absence.
The intra-squad match, a four-day red-ball game between India and India A, is being held as preparation for the upcoming Test series against England, starting on June 20, 2025. The match doesn't have first-class status, and the BCCI has barred media and broadcasters from accessing it, making it a closed-door affair. The decision to keep the match behind closed doors was made to allow players to train in a match-like situation without external scrutiny.
On the second day of the match, Sarfaraz Khan seized the opportunity to showcase his talent, reportedly smashing a century off just 76 balls, including 15 fours and two sixes. His aggressive innings is being seen as a strong message to the team management, especially after being left out of the 18-man main squad for the Test series. This knock follows another impressive innings of 92 against England Lions, further solidifying his credentials in English conditions.
On the first day, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul also made significant contributions, each scoring half-centuries. Shardul Thakur was also among the wickets, adding to the selection dilemma for the team management. The strong performances from several players are expected to give Gautam Gambhir and the selectors a headache as they finalize the playing XI for the first Test. With Shardul Thakur demonstrating his all-round abilities, he is competing against Nitish Reddy for the role of the fourth pacer and all-rounder in the team.
While Sarfaraz Khan shone with the bat, Jasprit Bumrah had a quiet outing, going wicketless in his seven-over spell. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna were the notable contributors with the ball for the main Indian team, each picking up two wickets. India A ended Day 2 at 299/6 in reply to India's 459, with Ishan Kishan unbeaten on 45 and Shardul Thakur on 19.
Gautam Gambhir, who took over as the head coach of the Indian team on July 9, 2024, succeeding Rahul Dravid, faces a crucial period ahead. While India won the T20 series against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa under his guidance, they lost the Test series against New Zealand and Australia. His performance in the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and the Test series against England will be critical in determining his future as the head coach.
