Sarfaraz Khan was not picked in India A squad for South Africa A series.
While fans were shocked, the topic took a political turn when Congress leader Dr. Shama Mohamed claimed that Sarfaraz's non-selection was due to his faith.
"Is Sarfaraz Khan not selected because of his surname? #justasking. We know where Gautam Gambhir stands on that matter," Shama wrote on X, suggesting bias under head coach Gautam Gambhir.
This allegation from the Congress leader triggered a heated debate across social media, prompting responses from former players and insiders.
And one such ex-cricketer taking offense to this post was ex-India and Delhi pacer Atul Wassan. He has called the claim "preposterous," adding that playing the religion card is "unfair."
"I think it is very sad. I agree that Sarfaraz has not been given the respect and the chances he deserves. But Congress's allegations are preposterous. This has never happened in Indian cricket. Time and again, we hear the religion card being played—even in Azhar's time. I do not believe it is because of any religious angle," Wassan told NDTV.
Wassan did, however, point out that the Mumbai batter's selection process has been frustratingly inconsistent.
"I don't think just current performances should be considered. There are many players doing well across formats. But once a player is picked, he must get a proper run—enough games to either fail completely or succeed. Sarfaraz hasn't been given that kind of chance. When someone like Rishabh Pant returns from injury and doesn't perform, he still can't be overlooked. Cricket has a certain lineage, timeline, and propriety that must be followed," Wassan added.