Sarfaraz Khan Archives

Batting collapse disrupts India’s comeback as New Zealand set to chase 107

BENGALURU: A dramatic batting collapse on Day 4 of the first Test, saw India bowled out on 462 after Sarfaraz Khan’s marathon knock as New Zealand set to chase a modest total.

Set to chase a meagre target, New Zealand captain Tom Latham and Devon Conway came out to bat in the dying minutes of an action-packed day of the opening Test but only managed to bat four deliveries and scored no runs as bad light forced an early closure.

Earlier in the day, the home side resumed their second innings at 231/3, through fifty-up Sarfaraz and unmarked wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant.

The duo dominated New Zealand bowlers and scored at a brisk rate amid their 177-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

The Kiwi bowlers, who had been at the receiving end since the start of the penultimate day, saw a change in fortune after the second new ball was taken.

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Experienced pacer Tim Southee made the most of the new ball and got rid of threatening Sarfaraz soon after the latter amassed the 150-run mark.

Young pacer William O’Rourke bolstered New Zealand’s comeback with the ball by dismissing the other set batter, Rishabh Pant.

Pant had an agonizing end to his brilliant knock as he was cleaned up on 99.

The back-to-back dismissals triggered a dramatic collapse as the home side lost their remaining five wickets and could add 29 more runs to the total.

Matt Henry and O’Rourke co-led New Zealand’s bowling charge in the second innings against India with three wickets each.

Ajaz Patel contributed with two wickets while Southee and Glenn Phillips made one scalp apiece.

READ: Virat Kohli becomes slowest Indian batter to score 9000 Test runs

Ravindra Jadeja reacts after mix-up with debutant Sarfaraz Khan

RAJKOT: Seasoned India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja broke silence on his mix-up with debutant Sarfaraz Khan on the opening day of the third Test against England.

Sarfaraz came out to bat at No.6 after skipper Rohit Sharma’s dismissal with Jadeja unbeaten on 84.

By the time cautious Jadeja reached 99, Sarfaraz had already notched up his maiden Test half-century, conceding just 48 deliveries.

He appeared eager to let his senior achieve the milestone and enthusiastically ran down the wicket when Jadeja timed one off James Anderson almost straight to Mark Wood at mid-on in the 81st over of the innings.

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Jadeja took an early stride but then changed his mind while Wood picked up the ball and dislodged the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Sarfaraz well short of his crease.

The Southpaw wasted no time and took a single on the next delivery to bring up his fourth Test century. However, his celebration lacked the usual spark and energy, presumably due to the unfortunate run out of the youngster.

A mix-up leading to Sarfaraz Khan’s run-out left Indian skipper Rohit Sharma fuming in the dressing room and the visuals of him throwing his cap in distress quickly went viral on social media.

https://twitter.com/Iam_Haraprasad/status/1758093316619743376

Ravindra Jadeja also found himself at the receiving end from cricketing fans, who termed the all-rounder “selfish”.

He later took to Instagram to express his disappointment over the incident and lauded the debutant for a courageous knock.

“Feeling bad for [Sarfaraz Khan] it was my wrong call. Well played,” wrote Jadeja on his Instagram story.

Ravindra Jadeja's Instagram story. pic.twitter.com/IPbammFJic

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 15, 2024

Despite an agonizing end, Sarfaraz managed to make his debut a memorable one as the right-handed batter left his supporters and fans impressed with a blazing 62. He only conceded 66 deliveries in the process and smashed 10 boundaries including a six.

READ: Sarfaraz Khan says ‘father’s dream’ fulfilled after India debut

Sarfaraz Khan says ‘father’s dream’ fulfilled after India debut

India’s Sarfaraz Khan on Thursday said his Test debut has been a dream fulfilled for his father after he impressed with an attacking 62 against England in the third match.

A prolific run-getter in Indian domestic cricket, Sarfaraz got his Test cap from former captain Anil Kumble with his teary-eyed father, Naushad Khan, and wife looking on in Rajkot.

Sarfaraz made the most with his 48-ball fifty to take the attack to the opposition bowlers and shine on a day of centuries by skipper Rohit Sharma (131) and Ravindra Jadeja (110 not out).

“I felt really happy,” Sarfaraz told reporters.

“Coming to the ground for the first time and got the cap in front of my father. I was six years old when he started my cricket,” the 26-year-old said.

“It was my dream to play for the Indian team in front of him. It was a dream to play for India during his lifetime.”

Sarfaraz, often criticised for being overweight, has been knocking on the selectors’ doors for more than three years while scoring in the domestic Ranji Trophy and has a first-class average of over 69 in 45 matches and a best of 301 not out.

Sarfaraz Khan came out to bat after Rohit’s departure and, following a nervous start, found his rhythm with boundaries to entertain the crowd.

He reached his 50 after a dominant show against the spinners and raised the bat to his family and the applauding dressing room.

“I was padded for almost four hours. I kept thinking that I have kept so much patience in life and there is no harm in keeping some more,” he said.

“After I went in, was nervous for first few balls but I have practised and worked so hard that everything went well.”

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Sarfaraz burst into the limelight with a record 439 in school cricket in 2009 but his career later hit roadblocks and controversies.

Hailing from a small town in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Sarfaraz was once charged with age-fudging after failing a bone test report and was later booted out of a training camp due to indiscipline.

He played the Indian Premier League and was once selected by Royal Challengers Bangalore, but could never cement his place in the XI and was also advised by skipper Virat Kohli to lose weight.

But Sarfaraz, who plays domestic cricket for Mumbai, is happy to realise a dream his father had set out to achieve.

“It was my father’s dream to play for India but unfortunately it couldn’t happen due to some reasons and there wasn’t much support from home then,” Sarfaraz said.

“Then he worked very hard on me and is now doing on my brother. It was the proudest moment of my life.”

Sarfaraz Khan was finally run out after a mix-up with Jadeja, but his innings left the opposition camp impressed.

“I thought Ben (Stokes) wanted to keep attacking fields so we could create a chance. And fair play to him, he had the courage to go over the top on a few occasions,” England assistant coach Paul Collingwood said.

“He sweeps really well and put the bowlers under pressure. On debut, it takes a lot of courage to come out and play like that.”

READ: Rohit, Jadeja tons put India in command against England

India’s Sarfaraz ‘cried’ after getting ignored for Australia Test series

NEW DELHI: Indian batting sensation Sarfaraz Khan said he wept after being ignored for the first two Test matches against Australia despite having a first-class batting average second only to Sir Donald Bradman.

The 25-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers in the local Ranji Trophy competition this season, scoring 431 runs in five games for Mumbai so far.

Last summer, Sarfaraz amassed 982 runs in six games at an average of 122.75, including four centuries.

In 36 first-class games so far, the middle-order batsman has accumulated 3,380 runs at an average of 80.47.

Only late Australian great Bradman (95.14) boasts a higher first-class average among batsmen who have played at least 50 innings.

“When the team was announced and my name wasn’t there, I was sad the whole day, when we travelled from Guwahati to Delhi, I was feeling very lonely. I cried too,” he was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

Sarfaraz then called up his father Naushad Khan, a coach, for help during the low phase.

“I called my dad to Delhi. He spoke to me, I practised with him, and then felt better.”

Indian selectors announced a 17-member squad on Friday for the first two Tests of the four-match series against Australia at home beginning on February 9.

Explosive batsman Suryakumar Yadav won a maiden Test call-up while Ishan Kishan, another white-ball specialist, was also named in the side with first-choice wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant recovering after a car accident.

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was left out over fitness concerns.

“I’m sure they (selectors) had certain plans in mind when they picked the team for the first two Tests,” said Sarfaraz.

“Since it’s not in my hands, I don’t want to think too much about it, otherwise I’ll go into depression.”

Sarfaraz also dismissed suggestions that he was left out because of his bulky frame and fitness issues.

“…I am very fit. Everyone has a different body structure, you can’t change it. I’ve cleared all the yo-yo tests (mandatory fitness test) in the past.”

Veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle said the Test exclusion must be tough on Sarfaraz.

“Very hard on Sarfaraz Khan who has literally broken the door down in first class cricket. You can’t do more than he has,” he said on Twitter.

Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh also tweeted in support of Sarfaraz.

“Spare a thought for Sarfaraz Khan. I don’t understand what else he needs to do to get into the Test team,” he wrote.

Australia last week named four spinners in their squad for the crunch four-Test series, including rising star Todd Murphy.

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