Mumbai cricketer Sarfaraz Khan will be unable to participate in the upcoming Irani Cup 2023, which is set to begin on March 1 in Gwalior. The tournament will feature Madhya Pradesh, winners of the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy, and the Rest of India, made up of players from various state Ranji teams.
Khan was in top form during the recent Ranji Trophy, scoring three centuries and amassing 556 runs at an average of over 90. His stunning performances had many speculating about a potential call-up to the national team. The 25-year-old right-handed batter has scored a remarkable 2970 runs with an average of 106.07 in 26 matches since the 2019-20 season, including 12 centuries and seven half-centuries. His first-class average of 79.65 after 54 innings is second only to Don Bradman’s 95.14.
However, Khan’s participation in the Irani Cup has been cut short due to an injury to his finger sustained during the DY Patil Cup, as reported by Sportstar. He has since joined the pre-season camp of the Delhi Capitals in Kolkata, where he is receiving treatment for his injury. At the camp, he was seen wearing a protective fibre around his injured finger and offering drinks to his teammates. However, he did not take part in any games.
According to a source close to Khan, “Sarfaraz suffered the injury on his right finger while doing ‘keeper duties for DY Patil B’ in a match during the DY Patil Cup. He picked up the injury while collecting a throw from teammate Yash Dhull. He will be out of action for 10 days. He is currently recuperating at the pre-season Delhi Capitals camp in Kolkata.”
The Delhi Capitals camp in Kolkata is being overseen by Saurav Ganguly, who returned to the franchise as the Director of Cricket. Despite Khan’s absence, the tournament promises to be an exciting affair with Madhya Pradesh and Rest of India competing against each other.
