Another topsy-turvy batting performance from India’s stars in the third Test against New Zelanad left pundits scratching their heads. Be it Virat Kohli‘s catastrophic run-out on Day 1 of the Mumbai Test or Sarfaraz Khan‘s batting position, there were many debate-stirring incidents in the first innings. After India rode on Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant‘s brilliant performance on Saturday, a bizarre decision from skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir triggered an intense debate on social media. Sarfaraz came out to bat at the No. 8 position for India, leaving some fans and former cricketers flabbergasted.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar didn’t shy away from asking tough questions to India’s team management, after Sarfaraz was demoted in the batting order, at a venue where he has Don Brandman-esque states.

“A guy in form, has 3 fifties in his first 3 Tests, gets 150 in the Bangalore Test, a good player of spin, pushed back in the order to keep left & right combination?? Makes no sense. Sarfaraz now walking in at no 8! Poor call by India,” Manjrekar posted on X.

A guy in form, has 3 fifties in his first 3 Tests, gets 150 in the Bangalore Test, a good player of spin, pushed back in the order to keep left & right combination?? Makes no sense. Sarfraz now walking in at no 8! Poor call by India.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) November 2, 2024

Sarfaraz didn’t last for long after coming out to bat at the No. 8 spot, and was dismissed for a 4-ball duck by Ajaz Patel.

In his last 6 innings at the Wankhede Stadium, Sarfaraz Khan has hit a whopping 601 runs in First Class cricket at an average of 150.25. His last 6 scores at the venue have been: 177, 6, 301*, 44, 21 & 52*.

Seeing the likes of Mohammed Siraj (nightwatchman) and Ravindra Jadeja bat ahead of Sarfaraz at the venue, hence, left many fans and cricket experts baffled. The likes of Siraj and Jadeja were dismissed for 0 and 14 respectively.