Sarfaraz Khan (right) with G Force Academy's Karan Soni during the UK tour in 2015. — Supplied photos
In the summer of 2015, veteran Dubai cricket coach Gopal Jasapara was taken aback when he received a request from Naushad Khan. A Mumbai-based cricket coach, Naushad’s elder son, Sarfaraz, had already shattered numerous batting records in India’s age-group tournaments, including one set by Sachin Tendulkar. By 2015, Sarfaraz had also played alongside Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle for the RCB team in the IPL. So, it was understandable that Jasapara was surprised when Naushad sent him a message, inquiring if there was a spot for his son in his academy team — G Force — featuring UAE youngsters on their UK tour.
“I first met this boy and his father in 2009 when he was only 12. This was after he broke Tendulkar’s record (with a knock of 439 in a school cricket match),” Jasapara recalled.
“So, Mr. Naushad called Mr. Shyam Bhatia (Dubai-based cricket promoter) as he wanted his son to gain some experience of playing in English conditions. Mr. Bhatia asked him to get in touch with me. That’s how he joined our academy team on our 2015 UK tour.”
A lot has transpired in Sarfaraz’s life since that 2015 UK tour with a Dubai academy team. From being hailed as India’s next batting superstar to facing critics who never missed an opportunity to mock his bulky physique, Sarfaraz was constantly battling internal and external challenges. But one thing remained constant: his insatiable hunger for runs. He kept piling up runs in domestic cricket, persistently knocking on the selectors’ door. Eventually, that dream of playing for India was realized early this year when he was called up for the England Test series at home.
Sarfaraz, whose brother Musheer is also a promising young talent, responded to the challenge of facing a top-class team with sparkling half-centuries in his debut Test match. However, he faced his toughest test in the first Test against New Zealand last week in Bangalore. Dismissed for a duck in India’s embarrassing first innings score of 46, Sarfaraz was under immense pressure when he walked in at 95 for two with India still trailing by 261 runs. A misstep could have jeopardized his Test career, especially since he might not have been in the playing XI if Subhman Gill was fit. But Sarfaraz chose to take risks, launching an astonishing counter-attack, showcasing his full range of conventional shots along with some cheeky and unconventional strokes.
That stunning knock of 150 may not have prevented New Zealand from winning their first Test in 36 years on Indian soil, but it has certainly given the Indian team management a significant selection dilemma. The second Test, which starts on a rank-turner in Pune, might see Sarfaraz push KL Rahul out of the playing eleven. Skipper Rohit Sharma will likely find it difficult to overlook Sarfaraz, a proven player of spin bowling in domestic cricket who possesses an incredible ability to shift gears at critical stages of a match.
But it’s not just his talent that makes the 27-year-old such a formidable batter. Jasapara believes it’s his discipline and work ethic that could eventually propel him to greater heights in international cricket. “He scored runs on that UK tour with our academy. But those runs were not important. His work ethic and discipline inspired a lot of our players in the academy,” Jasapara said. “They initially planned to be with us only for a few days, but then ended up staying with us for 15 days. Every day he used to face around 400 to 500 balls in net sessions.” That level of dedication inspired the academy’s youngsters, and he showed great respect for the coaches.
If Sarfaraz gets the nod on Thursday to face the Kiwi bowlers, he will back himself to help India bounce back from the first Test defeat and keep the team’s hopes of reaching the World Test Championships final alive. “As a player, he has what it takes to become a big star for India. But he is not going to change as a person because of his upbringing. His father once told me that as a family they are very rooted in their culture and tradition,” Jasapara said.
Naushad, and his sons, Sarfaraz and Musheer, 19, even had to sleep on railway platforms as they traveled from one place to another for the age-group tournaments. “Naushad has made a lot of sacrifices for them. That’s why both his sons are very grounded,” Jasapara said. “And they have got a lot of respect for people who have been part of this journey.”
Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing about his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.
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