"Dropped after 1 bad performance but other players remain despite several poor performances" - Fans react to Sarfaraz Ahmed being dropped for 2nd Test

Pakistan's veteran wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed has been dropped for the second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), starting December 26. Mohammad Rizwan will take his place as the gloveman for the crucial contest, with Pakistan trailing 1-0 in the three-match series.

Sarfaraz returned to the Pakistan Test squad at the end of 2022 on the back of his tremendous domestic performance. The 36-year-old played well in the red-ball format immediately after his return, scoring 86, 53, 78, and 118 in the home Test series against New Zealand at the start of the year.

Although Sarfaraz's form dipped during the Sri Lanka series in July, his experience and record against and in Australia led to him getting the nod for the opening Test at Perth. With an average of over 50 against the Aussies and almost 40 in Australia, Sarfaraz pipped Rizwan to start the series.

But following scores of 3 and 4 with the bat and some shoddy work behind the stumps, Rizwan has been favored ahead of Sarfaraz for the second Test.

Since Sarfaraz's return in the longer format, Rizwan has played only the second Test against Sri Lanka, as the concussion substitute for the former.

Fans on Twitter had plenty to say about Sarfaraz's dropping, with the reactions being mixed. Here are some of the best tweets:

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"There's no competition between the two" - Shan Masood on Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan skipper Shan Masood dismissed the notion of any competition between Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan ahead of the second Test at MCG.

Speaking at the press conference a day before the Boxing Day Test, Masood defended both decisions - to pick Sarfaraz for the first Test and Rizwan for the second. He said (via ESPN Cricinfo):

"I wouldn't think that that one change would have changed the whole course of the game. People go back to stats and Rizwan averages very well in SENA. Firstly there's no competition between the two. They're equally important to the team. Any competition they have is healthy competition.

"We know what Rizwan has done but we gave Sarfaraz the benefit because he averaged 56.50 on his last tour here in 2016. Yes, that's been quite a while but he's also played red-ball consistently in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy in the last few years."

The Sarfaraz-Rizwan swap is one of at least three changes Pakistan will make for the second Test at the MCG, for which they have named a 12-man squad.

Khurram Shahzad, who debuted in the first Test, has been ruled out of the series, while all-rounder Faheem Ashraf will also miss out after a poor all-round game.

Meanwhile, Australia named an unchanged 11 from the side that won by a resounding 360 runs at Perth.