Team India Call Up for Sarfaraz Khan Ahead Of IND vs SA 2nd Test? Reports VIRAL

The opening Test match between India and South Africa saw a stellar performance by the visitors at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. From getting bowled out on 159 runs in the first innings to defeating India by 30 runs by the end of the game, the Temba Bavuma-led side was phenomenal. The batters did struggle to put up a great show, but the bowlers filled up the gap with some fantastic spells.

Most of the credit will go to Simon Harmer and Marco Jansen for not letting the Indian batters build a partnership throughout the Test match. Many former players blamed the pitch for India's loss, but Gautam Gambhir owned up and accepted that this is the pitch that was requested by the team. It was a total batting failure, and India should have chased 124 runs in the second innings.

While it may seem like the home team needs to make some corrections ahead of the second match, their main focus will presently be on finding Shubman Gill replacement since he is likely to be ruled out of the IND vs SA 2nd Test. Gilll has been one of the best Test batsmen for quite some time and India missed his services during the Kolkata Test.

Gill sustained a neck spasm during his short stay on the crease on day two of the 1st Test and had to return to the pavilion after scoring just four runs. After remaining under observation, the BCCI ruled him out and is likely to be out of the series as well. As per reports, star batsman Sarfaraz Khan might get a call from the selectors in place of Shubman Gill.

Sarfaraz Khan Likely to Replace Shubman Gill in IND vs SA 2nd Test Match

India's middle order batter Sarfaraz Khan is likely to be included in the team as a replacement for Shubman Gill for the second Test match against South Africa. For the longest time, Sarfaraz has been showcasing his performance but has failed to cement his place in the team. Last year, when he played the Test series against New Zealand, he slammed a century but was dropped from the playing XI for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024. Despite being one of the best batsmen in India, he was sidelined by the management.

He was also sidelined from the recently ended India A vs South Africa A unofficial Test series that happened a few days ago. His exclusion sparked outrage on social media. However, keeping everything aside, if Sarfaraz gets an opportunity to play in the 2nd Test, he will look forward to making the most out of it. India will play the second Test against the Proteas starting on November 22 in Guwahati.

Is Sarfaraz the X-Factor India Need Right Now?

After a poor batting performance in the first Test match against South Africa, the home team will be looking at options. While some might debate, Sarfaraz Khan sits well in the Test team due to his his red-ball experience, his previous series performance, and the fact that he plays spin well.

India need a batter in the middle order who can build partnerships and play the opponent spinners well, and Sarfaraz fills the gap perfectly. Hence, the selectors might incline towards Sarfaraz Khan way more than other contenders. Nevertheless, fans will have to wait for official news from the BCCI about Shubman Gill replacement and his availability for the second Test against South Africa.