Is Sarfaraz Khans Long-Awaited IPL Return Finally Happening?

Sarfaraz Khan could be making his comeback to the Indian Premier League after a long time. After missing out on the tournament for years, it seems that a potential comeback is on the cards. Several teams have shown interest to have Sarfaraz Khan in their line-up.

The IPL 2026 edition is about to get even more exciting for the fans. And the excitement has already started to build, with the teams making strategic moves for the auction. Sarfaraz Khan has also made it to the headlines amidst all this, as several teams have shown interest to in their line-up.

The youngster has not made an appearance in the Indian Premier League over the last two seasons. Now, fans are anticipating his comeback to the same, as Sarfaraz also remains keen to prove himself in the shortest format of the game. Entering the auction could decide whether his comeback in the IPL will happen or not.

1. Sarfaraz Khan in IPL

Sarfaraz Khan has shown mediocre performances in the Indian Premier League. Mainly he is focused on playing for the team in the Test format, as he also remains eager to return to the Test side. In his entire IPL career, Sarfaraz Khan has scored just one half-century for his team.

Sarfaraz Khan in IPL:

• Innings: 37
• Not Out: 11
• Runs: 585
• Average: 22.50
• Strike Rate: 130.58
• 50s: 1

He started off his IPL journey playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore. His first IPL season was back in IPL 2015, as he played 13 matches for the team. It should be noted that this is the highest number of games he has played for any team in a single IPL season.

Following this, the inconsistent opportunities became a problem for Sarfaraz Khan. Despite being a young talent, he was not able to prove his worth to the team and get consistent opportunities. Also, it should be noted that Sarfaraz Khan missed out on the IPL 2017 edition, and was released by RCB after IPL 2018.

Eventually, he was bought by Kings XI Punjab for the IPL 2019 edition. Playing for them, he brought up his first and only IPL half-century, scoring 180 runs for the team in 5 innings. His average stood at 45, and he also maintained a strike rate above 125 throughout the season.

Still, Sarfaraz Khan was not able to continue his form in the IPL. He managed to score just 33 runs for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020, and his form dropped even more in the IPL 2021 edition. Playing two games for the team, he got out for ducks in both games and in any other match.

He was also bought by Delhi Capitals in IPL 2022, where he showed signs of better form. Still in IPL 2023, he could not continue his momentum, as his strike rate stood close to 85 in the games he had played. Since Delhi Capitals released him ahead of IPL 2023, he has not played even a single game in the same.

2. SMAT’s Crucial Role

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 is all set to commence from 26 November. And this tournament will be playing a vital role for all the players who are eager to get signed by any IPL teams. Similar to the other players, Sarfaraz Khan will also be eager to perform well in the and get an IPL signing.

He has been a key player for Mumbai in the tournament, helping them to win several games. But over the past few years, his performances in the T20 domestics have not been good enough to help him get a chance in the IPL. This time, Sarfaraz Khan will be keen to dominate for Mumbai in the shortest format of the game.

3. Indian Team Exclusion

It should also be noted that Sarfaraz Khan is also having a tough time when it comes to international cricket. He made his debut for India in the series against England in 2024. Despite being a promising young talent, he could not get consistent opportunities to play

The home series against New Zealand turned out to be the last for Sarfaraz Khan. Since then, he has been dropped by the Indian team for a long time and is eager to make his comeback to the format he loves the most. He is trying hard to gain his spot back to the Indian team, but is failing to get back in the eyes of the selectors.