Sarfaraz Khan’s India Test debut was perhaps one of the most talked about in recent times. Sarfaraz was piling on the runs in domestic cricket season after season but with Team India brimming with world-class performers, his wait to play international cricket was extended, arguably, by a couple of years.
With a couple of international stars absent, the 26-year-old finally made his Test debut during the England series at home earlier this year. And he justified the hype by hitting three half-centuries in five innings on pitches that were conducive to spin bowling and proved to be a big challenge for the batters.
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The middle-order batter hasn’t played any competitive cricket since the England Test in Dharamsala in March this year but is making his return with the Buchi Babu tournament in Tamil Nadu where he’s also captaining Mumbai.
It will be followed by another red-ball competition in the Duleep Trophy which will see some of India regulars taking part in tune-up for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh next month.
Sarfaraz will be aiming for productive outings from the two competitions and keep himself in the reckoning for India’s next Test assignment. However, he’s aware that with the return of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul in the middle-order, a spot in the playing XI might not be a guarantee.
“I have zero expectations… But I’ll be ready if the opportunity arises. That is what I’ve been doing all along and I don’t see any reason to change that,” Sarfaraz told The Indian Express.
With an excellent first-class average of 68.53 and a strike-rate of 70.87, Sarfaraz surely has the numbers to back his claim of a Test spot but he has no qualms of not getting a chance at a younger age.
In fact, he feels that the delay may have worked in his favour.
“Some get a break very soon in their career. Some have to wait. In my case, I’m fortunate that it took time because I got to spend a lot of time in domestic cricket and that grind helped me become a better batsman,” Sarfaraz said.
“When I made my debut, for the first three deliveries I was nervous. But after that, I was in control. Whatever I used to do at the domestic level, I was doing the same in Test cricket. I was very clear in my mind. I wasn’t looking at the opposition or the bowler,” he added.
As per the report, Sarfaraz was practicing on rough surfaces under the watchful gaze of Mumbai head coach Omkar Salvi. He says it’s part of his process and not specifically targeted at the upcoming Bangladesh series.
“I’m not looking at the Bangladesh series,” he said. “But I’ve to follow the process and be ready. This (playing matches) is very important for me. I’ve not had this level of practice in Mumbai because of the rains.”
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