IND vs ENG: Sarfaraz Khan makes international debut during India vs England third Test in Rajkot

The middle-order batter from Mumbai was named in the squad for the second Test in Visakhapatnam after KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were ruled out due to injury.

India’s Sarfaraz Khan during a practice session ahead of the third Test against England in Rajkot. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/THE HINDU

Sarfaraz Khan will make his international debut during the third Test between India and England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday.

The middle-order batter from Mumbai was named in the squad for the second Test in Visakhapatnam after KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were ruled out due to injury. However, Rajat Patidar was given the nod, ahead of Sarfaraz, for that game.

“This game is about patience. If I have to play Test cricket, I have to be patient,” he had told  bcci.tv after being named in the India squad for the second Test. “There are times in life when we try to rush into things. I would have tears in my eyes [when I wasn’t selected]. My  abbu [father] told me, ‘Keep working hard; no one can stop you’. I feel it’s very important to believe in yourself and be patient. More than myself, I am happy for my father. It’s a matter of great pride that in a country of over a billion people, I am in the team.”

With Shreyas Iyer ruled out of the remainder of the five-match series, Sarfaraz eventually found a place in the team. Sarfaraz received his Test cap from legendary India spinner Anil Kumble.

Along with Sarfaraz, wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel too received his India cap after K.S. Bharat was dropped following his lean run with the bat.