Sarfaraz Khan has been a brilliant batter in the domestic format of the game. The 26-year-old batter wait for playing for his country got ended as he was handed over the 311th Test cap before the 3rd Test match. Sarfaraz grabbed the opportunity with both hands as the batter scored back-to-back half-centuries in the game, but the touch he was in the first innings he could have touched the three figure mark, but an unfortunate run-out ended his 62 run.
The young-batter took on the spinners and showed his explosive approach towards them and the batter played proper cricketing shots, and that was not just by fluke. This was the hardwork of 15 years, that involved playing 500 deliveries everyday under the watchful eyes of his father Naushad Khan, who had worked hard to witness his son play for the country.
The dedication and systematic planning of the past few years, especially during the two COVID-19 lockdowns, paid off against the likes of Tom Hartley, Joe Root and Rehan Ahmed in Rajkot. With all the experience of playing in the first class circuit and in damp and tough pitches of India.
It has taken playing 500 deliveries per day: Coach
"It has taken playing 500 deliveries per day from off, leg and left-arm spinners across Oval, Cross and Azad Maidans in Mumbai," said a coach who has seen the Mumbaikar's growth from close quarters. During (COVID) lockdown, he undertook a car journey covering 1600km. From Mumbai to Amroha, Moradabad, Meerut, Kanpur, Mathura and Dehradun, he travelled and played on proverbial 'akhadas' where the ball turns square with one shooting up and few staying down."
Kapil Pandey told PTI, "During lockdown, Naushad called me as we are both from Azamgarh and we played club cricket in Mumbai when I was employed with the Indian Navy. So, when he wanted his son to get practice, I felt it's my duty. During lockdown, Sarfaraz played Kuldeep a lot at our Kanpur Academy. They did lot of net sessions together. I would arrange T20 matches as that season, Mushtaq Ali T20 was main tournament."