Former Indian cricketer in awe of Sarfaraz Khan after his debut in Test cricket at Rajkot

Sarfaraz Khan was brilliant with the bat in the first innings of his international career as he scored a quickfire 62 off 66 deliveries. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has heaped praises on Sarfaraz Khan’s performance on his debut.

He came to bat at No.6 and played a scintillating knock adding 77 runs for the fifth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja. Out of the 77 runs he scored 62 but unfortunately got run out in his first innings.

Sanjay Manjrekar talked about Sarfaraz Khan’s ability to play the spin and he noticed that the lofted shots played by the 26-year-old batter were not premeditated but last-minute adjustments.

Sarfaraz Khan smashed nine fours and a six in his innings of 62 and was looking to convert it into his maiden Test century before getting run out due to a terrible mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja who made the call but then sent Sarfaraz back but a direct hit from Mark Wood ended his innings.

“Exceptional. Just the way he batted. We had the terminator right, who came from the future to the present. It felt like someone from the past had come to the present. The way he played spin was a sight for my sore eyes. Something I have always talked about. Judgment of length. Look at how he played and manoeuvred all the good balls which normally all the young batters would block and it would be a dot ball. But he was taking a single,” said Sanjay Manjrekar.

“He was superb against spin and has a backfoot play as well. When he lofted the spinner, I don’t think it was a pre-planned thing. He went towards the ball and then decided to hit in the air. So he is somebody who is gifted with a good game against spin. It is very old-fashioned in the way he plays. Also, when you see players like Sarfaraz, is that it feels like they have played a million balls in their life,” added Manjrekar.

Also Read: Sarfaraz Khan’s father Naushad Khan reacts to Ravindra Jadeja running out the debutant

Sarfaraz Khan made his Test debut after grinding for years in domestic cricket

Sarfaraz Khan is one of the best performers in domestic cricket. He has scored 3912 runs in 66 innings at an average of 69.85 which includes 14 centuries and 11 half-centuries in domestic cricket. This impeccable performance got him his opportunity to represent India in Test cricket.

In the 2019/20 Ranji Trophy, he smashed 928 runs in nine innings at an average of 154.67 and then again amassed 982 runs in the 2021/22 season in nine innings at an average of 122.75. He has been banging on the doors of the national team for long and now he has finally got his opportunity.

India and England are facing each other at the Niranjan Shah Cricket Stadium in Rajkot for the third Test of the five-match series. India won the toss and elected to bat first in Rajkot and have crossed the 350-run mark laying back on centuries by skipper Rohit Sharma (131) and Ravindra Jadeja (112).

Ravichandran Ashwin and debutant Dhruv Jurel are batting currently and are taking the scoreboard forward for India in the first innings of this third Test. They are eyeing to cross the 400-run mark and set a good total for England to trail.

Also Read: Watch- Rohit Sharma fumes as England awarded 5 penalty runs after Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja run down on the danger end