NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has welcomed Sarfaraz Khan's return to India's Test squad and backed him to make the playing XI against Sri Lanka, arguing that his ability against spin could make him a better option than Dhruv Jurel in the conditions expected in Galle.Sarfaraz was added to India's squad as a replacement for injured Sai Sudharsan and joined the team in Sri Lanka on Monday. His return has also reignited the debate over his prolonged absence from the Test setup, having last played for India against New Zealand in November 2024.

Kaif, while discussing Sarfaraz's comeback on his YouTube channel, questioned why the batter was left out after his initial run in the side. He stressed that poor performance was not the reason for Sarfaraz's exclusion."There was a reason he was not allowed to play. Performance was not the reason. There was no reason. That his runs were not getting made, that the bat was not working. He made runs against New Zealand. He came across the field. He was playing well. He was in form. When he scored against England, he had a good start," Kaif said.Kaif also praised the decision-makers for bringing Sarfaraz back, believing his skill against spin could prove valuable in Sri Lanka.

"Whatever happened in between, he was removed. But now, whoever said that he should come back, I feel that he is thinking for India. India is thinking for cricket. We have to win. We will need good players. We will need good players. We will need good players who play well," Kaif further said.He added: "So, first of all, whoever has named him on the table, I congratulate him a lot. And I hope that Sarfaraz Khan will go there and play well."

Kaif picks Sarfaraz over Jurel for No. 6

The bigger question now is whether Sarfaraz can go straight into India's XI. Kaif believes he should, although he acknowledged that the team management could favour Jurel because of his existing involvement with the squad."If they follow the trend of backing the players who have already been playing for the team, then they might say, ‘Jurel has been with us already. He hasn’t scored consistently, but we will back him because he has already been part of the team.’

If that is the approach, then Sarfaraz will have to wait," Kaif said."But if you ask me what the best XI is, Sarfaraz’s name comes into my best XI because of his ability to play spin at No. 5 or No. 6. His record against spin is excellent," he added.Sarfaraz's range of strokes is another reason Kaif sees him as a strong option, particularly if the pitch becomes increasingly difficult to bat on as the Test progresses."He also has a wide range of shots. When you get to the fourth or fifth day, batting becomes more difficult, and that is where a player like Sarfaraz Khan can be very useful," he said.

"He knows how to use sweeps and reverse sweeps effectively. He can hit over extra cover, he is good off the back foot and he attacks spin."

Jurel's form opens the door

Kaif also pointed to Jurel's recent form as another reason he would prefer Sarfaraz for the first Test."Look, I can understand that India have played well, but Jurel’s recent Test record and form haven’t been that great," Kaif said.

The selection debate could become one of the key talking points ahead of the first Test, particularly with Sarfaraz now back in contention.

India have a number of batting options, but Kaif's preference is clear: if the objective is to pick the XI best suited to the conditions, Sarfaraz should get the opportunity.Sarfaraz has played six Tests and scored 371 runs at an average of 37.10, including one century and three half-centuries. His standout innings came against New Zealand, when he scored 150.

India will begin the two-Test series in Galle on August 15, before the second Test in Colombo from August 23. The No. 6 spot could be one of the most closely watched selection calls when the team walks out for the opening Test.