India batsman Sarfaraz Khan has opened up about his struggles before being called up to the national Test level for the ongoing second Test against England. He said it was difficult for him to get a big score, but his father worked on it and all his hard work was worth it.
The dream has finally come true for Mumbai batsman Sarfaraz Khan. After working for almost five years in domestic cricket, he was finally named in the Test squad for the ongoing series against England.
Sarfraz Khan since 2019 has been an absolute beast in FC cricket. The batsman barely made a mistake in the games and there was a lot of speculation about him being called up. Few experts even expressed concern over his non-selection in the team.
However, KL Rahul’s injury was a blessing in disguise for Sarfaraz Khan. The batsman was named as a replacement and came into the team after a stupendous century against the England Lions in the recently concluded series.
On his arrival in the Indian team, Sarfaraz Khan spoke about the players he loves to watch. He said that he learns a lot from them and wants to score runs for his Ranji team and for the Indian team.
Sarfaraz Khan spoke about how his father introduced him to cricket but admitted that he failed to play big time and quit early. He added that his father worked hard with him. Speaking to Jio Cinema, he explained:
“I like watching Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Sir Vivian Richards and even Javed Miandad because my dad has told me that I play like him. I also watch Joe Root’s batting. Anyone who is having success, I watch to see how they are doing it so I can learn and apply it. I want to continue doing this, whether it is in the Ranji Trophy or playing for India in the future.”
“My father introduced me to cricket and I always wondered why I play. I am an offensive batsman and I used to get out before everyone else and scoring big runs was becoming difficult. It was disheartening to see others succeed while I was not among the candidates. But my dad always believed in hard work and everything I have is a result of that work.”
If I don’t play at least 200-300 balls in a match, I feel like I haven’t done much –Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfraz Khan spoke about his strength and said that he is not satisfied until he plays 200-300 balls in a match. He also spoke about the importance of patience in Test cricket and stated:
“My strong point is that I don’t feel satisfied easily. I play between 500 and 600 balls every day. If I don’t play at least 200-300 balls in a match, I feel like I haven’t done much. It’s a habit now. If you want to play five-day cricket, you have to be patient and practice every day. I play cricket all day and that’s why I can stay on the field for a long time.”
Sarfraz Khan did not get a chance to play in the second match against England. However, with the ability he has, he will soon have opportunities. He has scored 3912 runs at an average of 69.85 in 45 FC matches. The batsman has also scored 14 centuries.