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By:

Waleed Hussain

4 March 2025 at 2:34:30 pm

Snubbing Sarfaraz Khan – Masterstroke or Hit Wicket?

The sweet symphony of Indian cricket selection – a melody so predictable it could be scored by a tone-deaf orchestra. Just when you thought the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had exhausted its repertoire of baffling decisions, they drop another chart-topper: excluding Sarfaraz Khan from the India A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa A. Because nothing says “meritocracy” like ignoring a batsman who’s been piling up runs like he’s hoarding them for a rainy...

Snubbing Sarfaraz Khan – Masterstroke or Hit Wicket?

The sweet symphony of Indian cricket selection – a melody so predictable it could be scored by a tone-deaf orchestra. Just when you thought the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had exhausted its repertoire of baffling decisions, they drop another chart-topper: excluding Sarfaraz Khan from the India A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa A. Because nothing says “meritocracy” like ignoring a batsman who’s been piling up runs like he’s hoarding them for a rainy day in Mumbai’s monsoons. It’s October 25, 2025, folks, and apparently, in the grand theater of Test cricket grooming, Sarfaraz is the understudy who forgot his lines. Or, more likely, the one they never bothered to audition. Let’s rewind the tape – or, in this case, the scorecard – for those blissfully unaware of the farce unfolding. Sarfaraz Khan, the Mumbai middle-order maestro, isn’t some wide-eyed rookie begging for scraps. No, this is a man who’s treated the Ranji Trophy like his personal batting nets, amassing over 3,900 runs at an average north of 67 since his debut in 2014. In the 2023-24 season alone, he notched up 556 runs at 92.66, including three centuries that screamed “pick me!” louder than a vuvuzela at a World Cup. And let’s not forget his Test cameos: a gritty 66 on debut against England in 2024, followed by a counter-attacking 68 in the same series. He even smashed 92 against England Lions just weeks ago, a knock so elegant it could make Picasso weep. Yet, here we are, with the India A squad announcement on October 23 reading like a who’s who of “anyone but him.” Rishabh Pant returns from his toe-tapping hiatus? Splendid. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan get the nod? Of course, they’re the flavor of the month. But Sarfaraz? Oh, honey, sit this one out. The bench is warm; we’ve saved it just for you. The official line from the BCCI? A masterpiece of evasion worthy of a Kafka novel. Sources whisper it’s because Pant’s back, as if one wicketkeeper-batsman is a zero-sum game where room must be made by evicting the guy who’s actually been, you know, playing and scoring. Or perhaps it’s that perennial favorite: “not fully match-fit.” Never mind that Sarfaraz has been Mumbai’s rock in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, or that he turned 28 last week without so much as a participation trophy from the selectors. Shardul Thakur, bless his all-rounder heart, piped up yesterday with the gem: “Sarfaraz doesn’t need India A games to play international cricket.” How adorably optimistic! It’s like telling a PhD candidate they don’t need a thesis defense because they’ve already read the books. Sure, Shardul, and I don’t need oxygen because I’ve breathed before. But in the cutthroat arena of Indian selections, where spots are doled out like party favors to the connected, “not needing” something is code for “we’re pretending you don’t exist.” And oh, the delicious undercurrents of this snub – because nothing spices up incompetence like a dash of controversy. Kerala politician Shama Mohamed couldn’t resist tweeting the elephant in the room: “Not selected because of surname?” Ouch. Sarfaraz Khan – that distinctly Muslim name in a lineup where diversity often stops at “safe bets” – suddenly feels like the plot twist in a bad Bollywood drama. Remember when he was overlooked for years despite domestic hauls that could fill a warehouse? Or how, post-debut, he’s been shuttled like a spare tire, only to be deflated at the first sign of “balance”? It’s almost poetic: a player from a minority community, grinding through Islamophobic whispers and selector blind spots, only to be told, “Thanks, but we’ve got enough brown-skinned talent… just not your kind.” Sarcasm aside (though who are we kidding?), if merit were the metric, Sarfaraz would be captaining India A by now, not cooling his heels while lesser lights get their glow-up. The selectors, ensconced in their air-conditioned echo chambers, probably patted themselves on the back for “strategic depth.” Depth? More like the shallow end of the talent pool, where favoritism floats and form sinks. It’s a travesty that reeks of the BCCI’s favorite perfume: entitlement. They’ve turned “A” team into “Also-Rans” for players like Sarfaraz, who dare to excel without the right godfather or Instagram filter. Irfan Pathan called it “not even close to the truth” when excuses flew, and he’s spot on. This isn’t oversight; it’s obstruction. A board that preaches workload management but overloads its darlings, that champions youth but benches proven performers – it’s a clown car careening toward irrelevance. (The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

Will Bollywood Welcome Pakistani Artists Back?

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

Will Bollywood Welcome Pakistani Artists Back?

Whether the Indian film industry will reopen its doors to talented Pakistani actors is a million-dollar question. The megastars and media moguls of Bollywood—such as the Khans and Karan Johar—seem unable to offer an answer at this moment. So, who is qualified to respond? Could it be the Modi government?

Pakistani stars await opportunities to shine on Indian cinema’s global stage. But since 2016, that door has been shut, leaving fans and artists wondering when, or if, things will change.

Before the abrupt freeze in cultural exchange, several Pakistani actors like Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Saba Qamar had made significant marks in Bollywood. Mahira Khan’s role opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Raees and Fawad Khan’s memorable performances in Kapoor & Sons and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil cemented their status as talented artists who could stand tall among Bollywood’s best.

Feroze Khan, a Pakistani actor, is set to star alongside Gathika Tiwari, a renowned Tamil and Hindi actress, in an upcoming feature film. This cross-border collaboration offers a glimmer of hope that artistic exchanges between the two nations may someday resume. However, the larger question remains: Will Bollywood welcome Pakistani actors back?

In September 2016, the Indian film industry banned Pakistani talent. The trigger for this decision was the attack in the Uri region of Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 19 Indian soldiers. India blamed the attack on militants allegedly supported by Pakistan, sparking a diplomatic crisis between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. At the time, TP Aggarwal, president of IMPPA, declared that no Pakistani would ever be hired by Indian producers again. Eight years later, the ban remains in place against the perception that it would be temporary. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), a far-right political party in India, called for all Pakistani-origin workers in the Indian film industry to leave the country and for their films to be boycotted.

Pakistani actors and singers, often referred to as “Ambassadors of Peace,” have played significant roles in bridging the gap between India and Pakistan. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, a celebrated Pakistani singer, enjoyed immense popularity in India before the ban. His soulful voice earned him fans in Bollywood before the ban ended his projects. Despite the artists’ efforts to promote peace through art, the deep-seated political differences remain a formidable barrier.

The film industry is often seen as a reflection of society, and in this case, it mirrors the strained relations between India and Pakistan. While artists may wish to transcend borders and foster unity through their work, they are often caught in the crossfire of geopolitical tensions. The ban on Pakistani talent in Bollywood is not just a professional setback for the artists involved but also a missed opportunity for cultural exchange that could help ease the tensions between the two nations. The question now is whether the stars of Pakistan and India can play a role in mending the fractured ties between their countries. Can the combined charisma of actors and singers from both sides work its magic in fostering better relations? The answer is not straightforward, but the potential is undeniable.

Art has always been a powerful tool for diplomacy. Cultural exchanges between nations can help break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and promote understanding. In the past, Bollywood films like Raees and Kapoor & Sons, featuring Pakistani actors, were met with enthusiasm from audiences in both countries, offering a glimpse of what could be possible if the two nations were to embrace cultural collaboration once again.

However, both sides need to be willing to separate politics from art. The Modi government, which has taken a hardline stance on issues related to Pakistan, may not be inclined to lift the ban anytime soon. But as political climates shift, there may come a time when the doors of Bollywood reopen to Pakistani talent.

Despite the ongoing ban, there are reasons to remain hopeful. Moreover, with the rise of digital platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, there are new avenues for collaboration that bypass traditional barriers. Pakistani dramas have gained immense popularity in India through these platforms. This growing demand for Pakistani content could eventually pressure Indian filmmakers to reconsider their stance.

The question of whether the Indian film industry will reopen its doors to Pakistani actors remains unanswered. However, the desire for collaboration, both from the artists and their fans, is clear. As geopolitical tensions ebb and flow, there may come a time when art is once again allowed to bridge the divide between these two nations. Until then, Pakistani stars like Feroze Khan and many others will continue to wait, hopeful for the day when they can share the screen with their Bollywood counterparts and bring their unique talents to a global audience.

(The writer is a senior journalist based in Islamabad. Views personal.)

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