Sarfaraz Khan chose the best occasion possible to bring up his first Test ton. With India’s back against the wall in the ongoing first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, the right-handed batter decided to step up for Rohit Sharma and he came up with a perfect display of aggression and caution. Sarfaraz Khan brought up his maiden Test ton in the 57th over off the bowling of Tim Southee. The 26-year-old celebrated wildly, even making Rohit Sharma almost fall off his chair, in the dressing room.
Sarfaraz Khan is quite different from the other Mumbai batters, and at times, the youngster can display brute force, to just dismiss the ball from his presence. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has now taken a note of this quality, saying the right-handed batter is giving the “finger to the Mumbai school of batting.”
“Love how Sarfaraz Khan is giving the finger to the ‘Mumbai school of batting’. Finally, it’s all about runs & boy he knows how to get those,” Manjrekar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Manjrekar calls Sarfaraz Khan the 2024 version of Javed Miandad
Sanjay Manjrekar also hailed Sarfaraz Khan’s ability to bat the situation out, and know what needs to be done under pressure situations.
“The talking point has to be Sarfaraz Khan, because he reminds me of a Javed Miandad in the 1980s, but this is the 2024 version of a Javed Miandad. Really impressed with the way he played, we know that he plays spin well, but the way he played the fast bowlers, towards the end of the day’s play, when he was playing defensively, and he was wanting bad light when there was actually bright light,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo after the close of play on Day 3.
“I love the way that he was ducking into bouncers, and was trying to play the day out. He has that game as well, that augers well for India and Sarfaraz Khan ahead of the series against Australia,” he added.
Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan led India’s comeback in the ongoing Test. Pant, who came out to bat at No.5, with his knee heavily strapped, took a special liking to left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, hitting him down the ground for maximums.
Despite cloudy conditions, New Zealand were unable to make the most of it.
Earlier, New Zealand gained a lead of 356 runs after bundling out India for 46 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. This was India’s lowest Test total at home.
