He has banged the door, Would be surprised if he's not there for the next tour: Sunil Gavaskar

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has claimed that Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan deserves a place in Team India's Test squad for the next Test series after the forthcoming England tour.

Sarfaraz made headlines with his sublime form in the recently concluded Ranji Trophy season. He ended up as the highest run-getter of the season with 982 runs in 6 matches at a stunning average of 122.75. The 24-year-old youngster also smashed four centuries and two half-centuries in the 2021-22 edition of the Ranji Trophy.

Team India is going through a transition phase after veteran batter Virat Kohli stepped down as Test captain. Senior players like Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma have also been dropped from the squad.

Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara, who was also dropped from the Test series against Sri Lanka, returned for the rescheduled fifth and final Test in England after his brilliant stint with Sussex in county cricket recently.

After the England tour, India will host Australia for the four-match Test match series after the mega event - T20 World Cup. 

Sunil Gavaskar believes that Sarfaraz Khan is knocking on the selection committee's door after a sensational Ranji Trophy season.

"Sarfaraz Khan's tremendous run of hundreds should bring him into contention for a place in the national team where with Rahane gone and Pujara getting one last chance to score and keep his place in the team and go on to play a century of Test matches the door could open for Sarfaraz. He certainly has banged the selection committee's door down and it would be a real surprise if his name doesn't figure in the squad for the next Test series," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.

The veteran batter has also said that Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar is also one of the players who can get a maiden India call-up soon. Patidar had memorable performances in the Indian Premier League while playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and in the Ranji Trophy. The middle-order batter scored 658 runs in 6 matches for MP in the 2021-22 season.

"There are some others too like Rajat Patidar who has also been tremendously consistent in what has been a breakthrough season for him. India are blessed to have such talent which is keeping the seniors on their toes and ensuring there is no room for complacency at all," concluded the former India captain.