Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been released from the Test squad, according to sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). This decision indicates a shift in priorities for the team’s management, with the current coach and captain favoring other players for key positions.
Mohammad Rizwan has emerged as the primary wicketkeeper for the squad, securing his place as a first choice under the current coaching regime. In a proactive measure, the PCB has instructed alternate wicketkeeper Haseebullah to remain on standby, indicating that he could be called up if circumstances require.
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The exclusion of Sarfaraz Ahmed, a veteran player with considerable experience, reflects the evolving dynamics within the team as it prepares for upcoming challenges. The PCB's focus appears to be on younger talents and a fresh strategy, aiming to strengthen the squad as they look to improve performance on the international stage.
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Who is Sarfraz Ahmed?
Sarfraz Ahmed is a wicketkeeper-batsman who could have meandered into irrelevance, as has been the case for many capable cricketers on Pakistan's domestic circuit.
Sarfraz took over the ODI reins in February 2017, providing his side with rare single-minded direction and focus. In June that year, Pakistan entered the Champions Trophy as the lowest-ranked team, suffering a heavy loss against India to start off. However, they went on a remarkable run, defeating South Africa, Sri Lanka, and hosts England, ultimately claiming the prize by beating India in the final.
A right-hand middle-order batsman, Sarfraz wasn't always the sprightly presence that bossed the Sharjah Test of 2014, when Pakistan chased down 302 runs in 57.3 overs to level the series. Between 2007—when he made his debut—and 2014, Sarfraz played just four Tests, four T20Is, and 26 ODIs. He was miles off being a regular in any of Pakistan's sides and not nearly good enough to warrant a place as a specialist batsman; he hadn't scored an international half-century in all that time. This was an era dominated by the Akmal brothers, who monopolized the wicketkeeping position.
Sarfraz first appeared on Pakistan's radar by leading the Under-19 team to the World Cup title in 2006, scoring half-centuries in his third and fourth matches. He broke into domestic cricket, amassing 523 runs in 10 matches along with 28 dismissals behind the stumps, which earned him a place on the A team's tour of Australia in 2007. However, he was soon left in the wilderness.
After seven long years, Sarfraz returned to the spotlight with a pivotal innings of 74 in a losing cause against Sri Lanka in Dubai. This performance established him as the team's first-choice wicketkeeper. Over the next 18 months, he averaged 71.20, during which time he also elbowed his way into the ODI side midway through the 2015 World Cup campaign with a run-a-ball 49 against South Africa.
Since then, Sarfraz has been a man for all formats, steady with the gloves, aggressive with the bat, and street-smart as a captain. At 30, with the Champions Trophy tucked under his arm, he became arguably Pakistan's most respected cricketer since Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan. However, this status shifted dramatically in October 2019, when a sustained loss of personal form led to his abrupt removal as captain in all three formats and his eventual exclusion from the team.
