Sarfaraz Khan is standing on the edge of the square, though it’s more of a contorted crouch, as he tries to shield himself from his incoming batting partner while continuing to scream in delight at the Mumbai dugout. He had just reached a double ton against Saurashtra on day two of the 2021–22 Ranji Trophy Group D encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
His celebration, though not a thought-through routine, reflected a batter who would return to the dressing room with the relief of having played another big knock, the heartbreak of possibly seeing another heroic innings go unnoticed by the national selectors, and the frustration of needing to wait a little longer to play his first Test for the country.
That arduous wait ended Thursday when, on the morning of the third Test against England in Rajkot, Anil Kumble handed Sarfaraz his Test cap with his father and wife watching on from the sidelines.
Life is hard in Indian cricket if you are on the fringes, but just when it becomes apparent that a national cap is around the corner, it somehow seems to get harder. Since cricket exploded as a business 30 years ago, on the one hand, the rewards have been immense, but on the other, early failures can become the barometer against which all aspects of one’s game are measured, albeit for a minority. Sarfaraz will know this all too well.
“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.”
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Sarfaraz, primarily batting at No. 5 for Mumbai, has consistently delivered strong performances over the past four domestic seasons. While there are concerns about his proficiency against short-pitched deliveries, Sarfaraz’s overall first-class average of nearly 70, featuring 14 centuries and 11 fifties in 66 innings, makes him a formidable force in the middle order.
“I have had a dream that all my India A teammates are congratulating me, shaking my hand, coming to greet me. The dream of being selected to the national team would keep visiting me - I am playing for India, I am scoring runs… whatever happens, happens for the best. It’s a dream come true now.”
It remains to be seen whether his sense of adventure is heightened by the looming possibility of being dropped in the next match, given the vagaries of team selection. But behind the blazing innings of Sarfaraz over the past year have been sound first-class fundamentals, and he would hope to channel them once more.
Every first team debut is an emotional moment for the player involved and an exciting prospect for the team, one that comes cloaked in high expectations for the youngster himself. Sarfaraz has paid his dues. It’s now time to reap the dividends.
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