Sarfaraz Khan is savouring the moment after receiving a long-awaited maiden Test call-up to the Indian cricket team. The 26-year-old was named as one of the three replacement players for the second Test of the ongoing five-match series against England, captained by Rohit Sharma. This significant opportunity arose due to injuries to KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, who were ruled out of the second Test with hamstring and quadriceps issues, respectively.
Additionally, the absence of star batter Virat Kohli, who withdrew from the first two Tests for personal reasons, has opened up opportunities for new faces. Sarfaraz Khan took to Instagram to share his joy, posting a heartwarming photo with his father. The picture captured the father-son duo beaming with happiness, accompanied by the celebratory song “Badal Pe Paon Hain” from the popular Hindi film “Chak De India.”
With the chance to make his debut in the XI for the second Test in Visakhapatnam starting on February 2, Sarfaraz Khan is in contention for a spot in the playing XI. He faces competition from Rajat Patidar, the Madhya Pradesh batter, who was added to the squad ahead of the series opener. KL Rahul’s placement at No. 4 in the first Test, in the absence of Virat Kohli, offers an opening for either of these two uncapped players to make their Test debut in Vizag.
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Sarfaraz Khan’s inclusion in the Test side has been a topic of discussion, given his consistent performances in domestic cricket. The Mumbai player expressed his elation after finally receiving his maiden Test call-up, ending the speculations surrounding his omission.
Interestingly, the joyous moments continue for the Khan family. Sarfaraz’s 18-year-old brother, Musheer Khan, recently played a pivotal role in India’s U19 World Cup campaign, scoring a match-winning hundred against Ireland on January 25 and following it up with a 73 against the USA on January 28.
Sarfaraz Khan’s latest Instagram story with his father.
– What a day for him and his family..!!! pic.twitter.com/b3Vxwz90LB
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) January 29, 2024
Sarfaraz Khan has been in remarkable form for India A against England Lions in the unofficial Test matches in Ahmedabad. The 25-year-old showcased his skills by scoring 96 in a practice game against England Lions and contributing with a fifty in the first unofficial Test. Notably, he played a crucial inning of 161 in the second unofficial Test earlier in the month, helping India A secure a draw against England Lions.
His outstanding performances in the last two Ranji Trophy seasons have been a testament to his batting prowess. In the 2022-23 season, Sarfaraz amassed 556 runs with an impressive average of 92.66, including three centuries.
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The previous season saw even more extraordinary numbers, with Sarfaraz accumulating 982 runs at a staggering average of 122.75. His overall First-Class cricket average of 69.6 underscores his consistency and reliability with the bat. In the 2020 Ranji Trophy season, Sarfaraz recorded 928 runs in just six matches, featuring a memorable triple century with an unbeaten 301.
