A political controversy erupted on Tuesday after Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed questioned the exclusion of cricketer Sarfaraz Khan from India A squad for the upcoming South Africa A series, implying communal bias in the selection process.
Shama Mohamed’s Post Sparks Outrage
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Shama Mohamed wrote, “Is Sarfaraz Khan not selected because of his surname! #justasking. We know where Gautam Gambhir stands on that matter.”
Her comment quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who accused her of attempting to “communalise cricket.”
BJP’s Strong Response
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hit back at the Congress leader, writing, “This lady and her party are sick. After calling Rohit Sharma fat, she and her party now want to divide even our cricket team on communal lines? Desh ka partition karke mann nahi bhara kya?”
He added, “In the same team Mohammad Siraj and Khaleel Ahmed will play! Stop dividing India on communal and caste lines.”
Sarfaraz Khan’s Omission Sparks Debate
The controversy comes amid an ongoing debate over Sarfaraz Khan’s absence from national squads despite his consistent domestic performances. The right-handed batsman last featured for India A against the England Lions in Canterbury, scoring a composed 92.
However, he missed the Australia A series last month while recovering at the National Cricket Academy’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
BCCI Announces India A Squads
The BCCI selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, on Tuesday announced two India A squads for the upcoming four-day matches against South Africa A, both to be captained by Rishabh Pant.
Sarfaraz Khan’s name was once again missing, leading to widespread discussion among fans and commentators. Sources within the board indicated that the decision was likely based on fitness and team balance considerations rather than bias — a clarification that did little to quell the social media uproar.
