In recent history, rarely has any player’s international debut made so much noise as Sarfaraz Khan’s. And there was every reason for it to happen. Sarfaraz Khan has been one of the most consistent performers in Indian domestic cricket over the past few years. However, the BCCI selectors took their time to rope him in the Indian cricket team. When it happened in Rajkot in the third India vs England Test, there were emotional scenes as his father and wife could not stop their tears. Sarfaraz Khan repaid their faith with a confident innings.
Sarfaraz Khan scored a 48-ball half-century – the joint fastest by an Indian Test debutant in the post-independence era – before departing at 62 after a horrible run out mix up with Ravindra Jadeja. Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma was frustrated after the dismissal.
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Sarfaraz Khan opened up on his dismissal at the end of day’s play.
“At times there is miscommunication, and it is a part of the game. Sometimes you get run out. Such kind of things happen,” Sarfaraz Khan said in the post-match conference.
Sarfaraz Khan added that Ravindra Jadeja helped him throughout his innings. “I talked to him at lunch time. I am that type of batter who like to talk while batting about what is going on. So, I told Jadeja to keep talking to me while I bat. He supported me a lot today and spoke to me at lunchtime,” Sarfaraz Khan said.
“He told me how the debutants feel and how he felt as a debutant. I was a bit nervous, especially when I played my first sweep and missed it. But he told me to take some time and it would be easy. I listened to him and tried implementing it.”.
On what Jadeja said on the run out, Sarfaraz said: “He said there was a bit of miscommunication, but I said it’s okay.”
Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja made classical Test match hundreds while debutant Sarfaraz Khan announced his arrival on the big stage with a fluent half-century as India reached 326 for five at stumps on day one of the third Test against England in Rajkot on Thursday.
With India reduced to 33 for three inside the first hour of play, Rohit (131 off 196) and Jadeja (110 batting off 212) steered the ship through choppy waters with a 204-run partnership.
After the pair was separated, Sarfaraz (62 off 66) scored the joint fastest fifty by an Indian on debut to push India past the 300-run mark before he was tragically run out following a mix-up with Jadeja.
Standing in the dressing room, skipper Rohit was livid at the manner of Sarfaraz’s dismissal and threw his cap in frustration. Jadeja was batting with nightwatchman Kuldeep Yadav (1 batting) at close of play.
