On Day 3 of the ongoing Duleep Trophy, young batter Sarfaraz Khan stole the spotlight with a brilliant display of aggressive batting. Despite India B losing three quick wickets in their second innings, Sarfaraz refused to back down, launching a counter-attack that left the opposition stunned. In the 10th over, the Mumbai batter decided to make his mark, smashing five consecutive boundaries off Akash’s bowling, showcasing his class and intent.
Sarfaraz started by leaving the first ball of the over but then went on a rampage. He opened his arms and guided the second ball through the gully region for a boundary. Not stopping there, he placed the third delivery between the covers for another four. When Akash bowled an inswinger, Sarfaraz effortlessly flicked it away, completing a hat-trick of boundaries.
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He followed it up with a textbook off-drive, picking up his fourth boundary of the over. To cap it off, when Akash tried a short ball, Sarfaraz took advantage of the lack of bounce, sending it through square for his fifth consecutive four.
4⃣4⃣4⃣4⃣4⃣
Sarfaraz Khan on 🔥
He hits five fours in an over, off Akash Deep!
What delightful strokes 👌#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/eQyu38Erb1 pic.twitter.com/AWE5JhJiuS
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 7, 2024
At the other end, Rishabh Pant couldn’t hide his delight at Sarfaraz’s aggressive approach. Known for his own attacking style in red-ball cricket, Pant was also playing a solid innings, looking to make up for his early dismissal in the first innings, where Shubman Gill took a brilliant catch to send him packing. Pant’s aggressive intent mirrored Sarfaraz’s, as both batters looked to put pressure on the opposition.
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However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for India B. Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his poor form, managing just nine runs before Khaleel Ahmed dismissed him. Veteran opener Abhimanyu Easwaran could only muster four runs, and Musheer Khan, who had scored a century in the first innings, was dismissed for a duck. Akash, despite being punished by Sarfaraz, impressed with two crucial wickets in the innings.
The spotlight now turns to Kuldeep Yadav, who struggled in the first innings. With competition from Axar Patel, who has impressed in the Duleep Trophy, Kuldeep’s performance in the second innings could be crucial in determining his place in India’s Test squad for the upcoming series.
