'Sarfaraz dropped because of surname?' Congress leader's post triggers row
What's the story
Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohamed has stirred a controversy with her recent remarks on the non-selection of cricketer Sarfaraz Khan for India's upcoming cricket assignments. "Is Sarfaraz Khan not selected because of his surname!...We know where Gautam Gambhir stands on that matter," she wrote on X, referring to Gambhir's brief association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Her comments came after Khan was left out of the India A squad for an upcoming series against South Africa A in Bengaluru.
Twitter Post
Mohamed's post on X
Is Sarfaraz Khan not selected because of his surname ! #justasking . We know where Gautam Gambhir stands on that matter
— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) October 22, 2025
Backlash
BJP leaders slam Congress leader for 'communalizing' cricket
Mohamed's comments were soon slammed by several political leaders and cricket experts. Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of communalizing cricket, 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?" Mohsin Raza, a former Uttar Pradesh minister in Yogi Adityanath's government, also asked politicians not to "communalize" sports.
Selection criteria
Reports suggest injury concerns and team balance in Khan's omission
Reports suggested that Khan's omission was due to injury concerns and team balance, not religion. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said earlier that Khan missed the home series against the West Indies due to a quadriceps injury and needed to regain match fitness before being considered again. Despite his strong domestic record, averaging over 65 in first-class cricket, he remains on the fringes of national selection.
Selection controversy
Khan's exclusion from India A squad sparks outrage
Khan, who last played for India in November 2024 against New Zealand, was also left out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and tours to England and the West Indies. AIMIM's chief Asaduddin Owaisi and spokesperson, Waris Pathan, had also earlier questioned Khan's repeated omission. "When a man is averaging so much, there is definitely more to it. Why hasn't he been picked?" Pathan told India Today.