"Our Job Is To Keep Scoring Runs, For Whichever Team, All The Time" - Naushad Khan's Message To His Son Sarfaraz Khan

Published - 18 Jan 2023, 12:39 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM

Mumbai player Sarfaraz Khan. Photo-Screengrab

Sarfarazesque is the trendy term being bandied about in the cricket world right now. Although it doesn’t sound as good as Bradmanesque, Sarfaraz Khan will accept it. After all, his role is to “keep scoring runs, for whichever side, all the time,” as his father Naushad Khan put it. Since his second arrival, he has been playing first-class cricket more effectively than the majority of players ever have.

Sarfaraz Khan’s trip with the “A” team to Bangladesh didn’t go well, but since then, he has scored three hundreds in seven Ranji Trophy innings, adding to his totals of 928 runs from nine innings at 154.66 and 982 runs from nine innings at 122.75 from the two previous Ranji seasons.

Seven centuries were scored there, including a triple-hundred in January 2020 against Uttar Pradesh. The most recent major one was a score of 125 in 155 balls, which came in a sluggish Mumbai batting effort in Delhi yesterday. The team’s final tally was just 293, and Prithvi Shaw’s 40 was the next-best mark.

Sarfaraz Khan Happy To Be Around Don Bradman’s Record

Don Bradman was always going to come up in the conversation because of his first-class average of 80.47 from 36 games (before the most recent century), and that is exactly what happened after play on Tuesday.

“It gives me happiness that I have been close to his [Bradman’s] record in the last three seasons,” he said. “It won’t always be the same, but I am happy to be around him right now,” For the fact, while Bradman’s average in tests was 99.94, it was just 95.14 in first-class play.

Sarfaraz Khan and Hanuma Vihari (Image Credits: Getty Images)

It seems sensible that there has been a need for him to be given an opportunity at the Test level given these stats. In recent months, questions have been asked every time the Indian Test team has been named and he has not been included. What more has to be done for Sarfaraz, the broad consensus was on January 13, when the team for the first two Tests against Australia was announced. He thought about it too.

“My father came [to Delhi] a couple of days ago, and I trained with him for two days in Ghaziabad [near Delhi] before the game. He knew I was upset [at not being selected],” Sarfaraz said. “So he said, ‘Our job is to keep scoring runs, for whichever team, all the time’. Since I was a child, whenever I have been a bit confused, or things have not gone right, he does the same thing, he just motivates me and gives me confidence, and prepares me mentally.”

A Human Being Cannot Be Succesful All The Time: Sarfaraz Khan

One of the potential explanations for Sarfaraz Khan’s ongoing exclusion from the Test team is his physical condition. While he has impressive stats in the Ranji Trophy and first-class cricket in general, it is also true that he hasn’t always shone when given the chance at the India A level. Sarfaraz has only scored 205 runs at an average of 34.16 in his first six “A” games. He scored 21 and 0 in his two innings in the tour of Bangladesh just before the Ranji season began.

“A human being can’t be successful all the time,” When questioned about the “A” numerals, he said. “When I played my first match for India A, I scored 71 not out [in Bloemfontein]. The other players got out, otherwise I could have scored a century. But yes, I was dismissed cheaply a few times. After that, in the series against New Zealand A, I was out early once and scored 60 in another innings.

“It has happened a few times that the lower-order batters have got out quickly, and I didn’t have the opportunity to score more. I will keep trying to improve my numbers for India A too.”

On the topic of his fitness, Sarfaraz Khan said, “In December last year, Delhi Capitals [his IPL team] had conducted a 14-day fitness camp, so their players are prepared for the season. So I have been at it since then, working to make sure my fitness is up there. Keeping in mind the next IPL, the focus of the Delhi Capitals team is on the fitness of the players, especially me.”

Also Read: “Tu Bol Ke Nahi Khel Ke Jawaab Dena”- Twitter Reacts As Sarfaraz Khan Hits Another Ton For Mumbai