“It was my father’s dream to play for India, but unfortunately, it couldn’t happen due to various reasons. At that time, there wasn’t much support from home. However, he worked tirelessly on me, and now he is doing the same for my brother. It was the proudest moment of my life,” said the sportsman who recently scored 62 off 66 balls in the recent Test match at Rajkot against England.
We are talking about Sarfaraz and the surging aspirations made by him in India’s Test Cricket landscape.
Born in Mumbai, he took his first steps as a cricketer at Azad Maidan, where he was coached by his father and ex-cricket veteran Naushad Khan. His passion for cricket extended to such a degree that his father recognized his son’s potential, igniting a glimmer of hope for his unfulfilled dream of becoming a renowned cricketer.
To focus solely on his goal of becoming a cricketer, Sarfaraz sacrificed attending school for four years, during which a private tutor was employed for his mathematics and English classes.
As time passed and the crucible of experience tempered his skills, he emerged into the limelight. His breakthrough moment arrived when he shattered the Harris Shield record set by Sachin Tendulkar back in 1988. In 2009, during his inaugural Harris Shield game at the age of just 12, representing Rizvi Springfield, he scored a staggering 439 runs off 421 balls. This monumental innings comprised 56 boundaries and 12 sixes. Subsequently, his exceptional performances earned him a spot in the Mumbai Under-19 team, ultimately leading to his selection for the Indian Under-19 squad.
Sarfaraz Khan, known for his powerful batting, made history in the 2015 IPL Auction as the youngest player to be signed by a franchise, the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Spending four seasons under the guidance of Virat Kohli, he left a notable impression with his distinctive style at the crease. With extensive exposure at the Under-19 level, Sarfaraz has confronted diverse oppositions on pitches worldwide. Transitioning from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket, and later returning to Mumbai, Sarfaraz aims to rejuvenate his T20 career. Picked up by PBKS for INR 25 lakhs in the IPL 2019 auctions, he was retained for the 2020 season. During the 2019 season, he showcased his prowess in 8 matches, amassing a total of 180 runs.
The pinnacle of his sporting journey, the apex of his exposure, unfolded when he made his debut for the Indian cricket team in Test cricket. His first-innings fifty proved pivotal as India reached a formidable total of 445. His unbeaten sixties further bolstered India’s lead, setting England a challenging target of over 500 runs in the chase.
During the early stages of his innings, Sarfaraz encountered a couple of rejections from Jadeja when attempting quick singles. Despite this, he persisted, urging, “Aa Jao, bhaiya (come on, brother)” as he pushed for a swift single. However, following a display of assertive stroke-play against the England bowlers, Sarfaraz found himself entangled in a misunderstanding with Jadeja. “It’s all part of the game. Miscommunication happens in cricket. Sometimes you’re run out, sometimes you score runs,” Sarfaraz remarked. “I spoke to Jadeja during lunch and requested him to communicate with me while playing. I enjoy conversing while batting. It was a first for me. I told him to keep talking to me while I’m out there. He continued to support and communicate with me throughout my innings,” Sarfaraz added.
However, his maiden and memorable display of sportsmanship and skill infused a plethora of hope into the upcoming cricket generation, assuring them that Indian cricket is indeed in good hands.
Rohit Sharma’s Instagram post garnered significant attention for its heartfelt acknowledgment of the debutant cricketers who played pivotal roles in India’s victory over England in the 3rd Test held in Rajkot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3YEXL2IWms
In his post, Rohit Sharma reflected on the remarkable contributions of these players, sharing a collage on his Instagram Stories capturing a moment where Dhruv Jurel executed a run-out while Sarfaraz and Yashasvi celebrated a significant achievement together on the field.
Accompanying the image, Rohit wrote, “Ye aajkal ke bache,” loosely translating to “these youngsters are something else” in English. This expression of praise underscores the exceptional talent and promising future of these budding cricketers, along with the warm reception and quick acceptance from the legacy cricketers towards the emerging talents in cricket.
Sarfaraz Khan’s consistent performance, highlighted by twin fifties in his debut Test, played a pivotal role in setting up challenging targets for England. Dhruv Jurel’s gritty batting and brilliant run-out further bolstered India’s dominance in the match.
Rohit Sharma’s recognition accentuates the promising potential of these young cricketers and underscores their significant contributions to Indian cricket.
