"I am not 100% certain about Sarfaraz's playing style" - Aakash Chopra says he would play KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel ahead of Sarfaraz Khan in BGT 2024
Aakash Chopra feels Sarfaraz Khan's playing style is unlikely to work in Australian conditions. He opined that KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel should play ahead of Sarfaraz in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy if the team management has to choose between the trio.
India will face Australia in a five-match Test series, with the first game starting in Perth on November 22. Rahul and Jurel have been sent Down Under ahead of the tour to play in the second unofficial Test between India A and Australia A scheduled to start in Melbourne on Thursday, November 7.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener cast his vote for Rahul and Jurel ahead of Sarfaraz as a batting option for the Australia tour.
"KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel have been sent to play in the India A game. In my very humble opinion, if you ask me to do a toss-up even today that you have to play one of KL Rahul and Sarfaraz in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Sarfaraz scored 150 for sure, give it to him, but I will say go with KL Rahul," he said (2:25).
"If you tell me that you have to play one of Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel, assuming one of them can play in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, I might still be tempted to go with Dhruv Jurel. My simple reason for that is I am not 100% certain about Sarfaraz's playing style," Chopra added.
Sarfaraz Khan played a 150-run knock in India's second innings of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. He was preferred over KL Rahul for the last two Tests against the Kiwis but was dismissed cheaply in all four innings (11, 9, 0, 1).
"It will be a very difficult examination because of the way he scores runs" - Aakash Chopra on Sarfaraz Khan
![Sarfaraz Khan predominantly scores his runs square of the wicket or behind the stumps. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/03a3a-17307788759825-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Sarfaraz Khan won't be fed spin bowling and won't be able to score runs in his preferred areas against the seamers in Australian conditions.
"I like the kid, I love the kid, I really want him to do well, but I feel it will be a very difficult examination because of the way he scores runs. He will not at all be shown spin there and runs won't be scored in that direction against fast bowling. So that will be a problem," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel might have been sent to Australia as they could play in the first Test, especially considering Rohit Sharma's potential unavailability due to personal reasons.
"That is probably why Rahul and Jurel have been sent, so that they can come in form, and if there is a chance, they should play the first match (Test) itself. You never know, Rohit might not be available at all. He has even said that. I don't know," Chopra observed.
Chopra also questioned whether the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was picked too early. He pointed out that Sai Sudharsan might have been included had the team been chosen after the Test series against New Zealand, considering he scored a century (103) in the first unofficial Test between India A and Australia A.