The remarkable bond between Sarfaraz Khan and red-soil pitches in red-ball cricket continues to grow, as he produced a sensational double hundred against the Rest of India (ROI) in Lucknow. His unbeaten knock of 221 guided Mumbai to a commanding 536/9 by the end of Day 2.
Just days before, Sarfaraz’s younger brother Musheer Khan and his father Naushad Khan were involved in an accident while traveling to Lucknow. Despite this, Sarfaraz left personal concerns behind the moment he stepped onto the field, focusing entirely on guiding his team to a substantial total. Knowing he was the last recognized batter, he patiently batted for long periods, frustrating the ROI bowlers on a hot, humid day. It was another masterclass in constructing big scores on flat tracks.
Tanush Kotian played his supporting role perfectly, scoring a vital half-century in their 183-run partnership. While Sarfaraz dominated proceedings, Kotian’s steady contribution at the other end allowed Mumbai to pile on the runs.
Sarfaraz, true to his approach, stayed back to handle the pace of Mukesh Kumar and Prasidh Krishna. When spinners were introduced, he used his nimble footwork to control the middle overs. The introduction of spin by Ruturaj Gaikwad opened the floodgates for runs, with Sarfaraz particularly aggressive against Manav Suthar. The lack of assistance for spinners from the surface allowed the Mumbai batters to thrive.
A proven master against spin, Sarfaraz found gaps easily, ticking the scoreboard while also finding boundaries regularly. Every big partnership requires some luck, and Sarfaraz benefited when Prasidh Krishna dropped a catch at mid-on in the 90s. Aside from that moment, Sarfaraz offered few chances, showing immense control over his innings. In the 110th over, after sweeping Saransh Jain, Sarfaraz seemed to pull his right hamstring. Despite his evident discomfort, he pushed on, further frustrating the ROI bowlers.
The second session saw ROI struggle to break through, but the third session brought some respite. Prasidh Krishna struck twice in one over, first dismissing Kotian with an off-cutter, then following it up with a quicker delivery to remove Mohit Avasthi. Towards the end of the day, Saransh Jain claimed Shardul Thakur’s wicket after a useful contribution of 36.
As the day wore on, Sarfaraz called the physio multiple times. Though he was clearly tired, his hunger for runs kept him going.
The efforts from the fast bowlers, particularly Mukesh Kumar and Yash Dayal, deserve recognition. Dayal’s sharp bouncer removed Ajinkya Rahane, who tragically fell three runs short of a well-deserved century, undone by the dreaded commentator’s curse. Despite these occasional breakthroughs, it was largely a day to forget for the Rest of India.
Brief scores: Mumbai 536/9 (Sarfaraz Khan 221*, Ajinkya Rahane 97; Mukesh Kumar 4/109) vs Rest of India. Stumps, Day 2.