T20 World Cup trophy [Source: X.com]In a major development, Indian middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan has been hospitalised after suffering from a viral fever. As a result, his availability for Mumbai’s upcoming Ranji Trophy quarterfinal clash against Karnataka is now in serious doubt. The match is scheduled to be played at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy, BKC, in Mumbai on February 6.Big setback for Mumbai ahead of quarterfinalNotably, this development comes as a setback for Mumbai, who are currently preparing for the high-pressure Ranji Trophy quarterfinal. The team has been in excellent form throughout the season and entered the knockout stage with high confidence. However, losing an in-form batter like Sarfaraz at this stage could disturb their balance.At the moment, there is no official update on his health condition. However, a senior journalist from The Times of India has posted on X that Sarfaraz is doubtful for the all-important match. Since the game is a knockout fixture, even a small setback like this can prove costly.Gaurav Gupta @toi_gauravG #breaking In-form batter Sarfaraz Khan has been hospitalized due to viral fever and is in doubt for the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal encounter against Karnataka, which starts from Friday at the MCA ground in BKC Meanwhile, this news has emerged at a time when Team India, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, is also preparing for the mega event, the T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to begin on February 7. Although Sarfaraz Khan is not currently part of the T20 setup, his strong domestic performances have kept him in discussions. Therefore, his illness during such an important phase of Indian cricket is being closely followed.Sarfaraz Khan’s red-hot domestic formSarfaraz falling ill has come at the wrong time, especially considering his recent performances. Last month, he smashed a brilliant double century against Hyderabad, showing his ability to dominate attacks. So far this Ranji Trophy season, he has scored 429 runs in nine innings at an impressive average of 53.62, including one century and one fifty.In addition to this, he has been outstanding in white-ball cricket as well. During the 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he stunned everyone by scoring a 15-ball half-century against Punjab, which became the fastest fifty by an Indian in List A cricket.Furthermore, Sarfaraz Khan finished the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT 2025-16) as Mumbai’s highest run-scorer, with 303 runs in six innings at an average of 75.75 and a strike rate of 190.56. He also impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT 2025), where he scored 329 runs in seven matches. It is worth noting that, due to this consistent form, he was picked up by the Chennai Super Kings at the IPL 2026 auction for his base price of Rs. 75 lakh.Shardul Thakur and Yashasvi Jaiswal returnOn a positive note for Mumbai, Shardul Thakur has returned to lead the side in the quarterfinal, while Yashasvi Jaiswal will also be available. The duo had not featured since the Ranji Trophy resumed last month. Mumbai topped Group D with 33 points and remained unbeaten in the group stage.Now, as they chase their 43rd Ranji Trophy title, having last won it in the 2023–24 season, the focus will be on whether Sarfaraz Khan can recover in time to take the field.
